Italian-Food-101-10-Pasta-Dishes-that-Represent-the-Different-Regions-MainPhoto

Italian-Food-101-10-Pasta-Dishes-that-Represent-the-Different-Regions-MainPhoto

UPDATED August 1st, 2016

Many of us think of Italian food as an all-encompassing description of the country’s cuisine. In fact, Italy has 20 distinct regions with their own signature pasta dishes, sauces and flavors. Though Italy is a small country, one town’s signature dish may be completely unknown to a village just a few miles away. Marla Gulley Roncoglia, Italian food expert for Menuism Italian Food Blog explains: “When you first visit Italy, you might find it surprising that many familiar dishes won’t always be found in all parts of Italy. Even within a region, you will find wide variations on their classic regional dishes, reflecting not only the personality of the cook, but the nuances seeping in from every nook and cranny of each region.”

Here are 10 delicious pasta recipes that represent different regions so you can take your own Italian food tour without leaving home.