Can Pasta Be a Main Course?

The primo: In Italy, pasta is a first course, or primo, served as an appetizer, not as the main event. ... These main courses are usually fairly simple, especially if a rich pasta or rice dish precedes them. The contorno: A platter of vegetables usually accompanies the main course.

Is pasta a starter or main course?

A typical Italian lunch consists of a first course il primo (pasta, rice or similar), a second-course il secondo (meat or fish) served together with a side dish il contorno (vegetable or salad), fruit, dessert and coffee.

Do Italians eat pasta as a main dish?

Italians are proud of their pasta, and, as for the risotto, they don't serve it with anything else. Nor with salad or potato chips! Pasta is a main, and it's enough to satisfy a hungry stomach.

Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins

Senior Technology Editor & AI Specialist

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.