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Traditional Main Course Items Found on the Menu at an Italian Restaurant

For years, Italy has been admired for its delectable cuisine, and thankfully, you don't have to travel to Italy just to get your tastebuds tantalized by flavors of the area. There are numerous Italian restaurants sprinkled throughout the United States. If you happen to make your way to one of them, there are some pointers to keep in mind when it comes to selecting the main course. Specifically, there are a few things you will definitely want to try. Take a look at some of the traditional main course items you will find on the menu, what they are, and why you will want to make sure you try them. 

Chicken Parmesan

You may have tried this dish elsewhere, and you may have even tried a recipe version at home. But there is not quite anything that can compare to fresh chicken parmesan from an Italian restaurant. You will get golden fried chicken, usually boneless, that has been battered to perfection with seasoned bread crumbs, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and then fried to a delectable crispness. Fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese tend to adorn the chicken, and the dish is most often served with a side of spaghetti. 

Osso Bucco 

Roasted veal shanks still on the bone are marinated a delightful collaboration of white wine and fresh Italian herbs for several hours. Once the veal has had time to absorb all those wonderful flavors, it is usually pan-seared and then oven roasted alongside a collection of perfectly complementing veggies. Osso Bucco is one of those main course dishes that meat-eaters adore because the meat tends to turn out so tender that it just slips right off of the bone. If you go to a good place, some of the drippings rendered during the roasting process will be pooled on the plate so you can dip your crusty bread in and enjoy every last bite. 

Stracotto al Chianti

Finding a good steak at an Italian restaurant is not hard to do, but you may be a bit surprised when this main-course menu item is delivered to your table. Steak from Italy is going to be a totally different experience than what you would get here. Stracotto al Chianti, which is beef roasted in Chianti wine (a wine that hails from Tuscany), is a slow-roasted sort of steak that exudes flavor in every last bite. Tender and juicy, these steaks may be fire-grilled or oven-roasted. Either way, they will not disappoint. 

If you're ready to try these dishes, check out local Italian restaurants.