10 Best Local Dishes from Turin

Tarajin is a classic Turin egg pasta dish, lovingly made by hand for many centuries. Tarajin noodles are thin, delicate strands of egg pasta with a rich flavour due to the high yolk content used. Traditionally made by hand, the dough is rolled and then hand cut, so the noodles have a charming irregularity.

Historically, tarajin was served with available organ meats from rabbit or chicken. Nowadays, you can sample it in many restaurants served in a fresh butter sauce or hot broth. Try Tajarin al Tartufo, which is the version served with the exotic and highly sought truffles that are famous in the region.

Agnolotti is a traditional pasta dish, made of small pieces of pasta filled with roasted lamb meat. This delicious dish was created by farmers looking for a way to use leftover meat, so different versions have developed over time, depending on the ingredients available at the moment.

These days you will find agnolotti in restaurants throughout Turin typically prepared in a few ways. Try agnolotti with ragù, a locally loved tomato-based sauce with meat. Sample agnolotti served with a tasty butter, sage, and Parmigiano (Parmesan) cheese, sauce. Or try agnolotti del plin, which is served in meat gravy.

Brasato al Barolo is a classic stew from Turin, made with local meats and wine. The rich and flavourful dish uses regionally sourced steak that is first braised to seal in the juices and keep the meat tender. Then it is marinated for a day in local Barolo wine, known for its intense flavour and aroma.

You'll love the rich and eclectic flavour of Brasato al Barolo, which includes onions, carrot, celery, cinnamon, clove and juniper berries. You can try this local favourite at a plethora of restaurants throughout Turin, with a side of polenta, a creamed corn dish, or roasted potatoes and grilled onions.

Taste the flavours of Turin when you try a la panissa vercellese risotto. Risotto is the slow cooking of rice with broth, vegetables or meat until it reaches a soft and creamy consistency. For la panissa vercellese, short-grain rice is used that is sourced from local rice paddies, along with large tender Saluggia beans which are also grown close by.

You'll relish the combination of flavours of la panissa vercellese which includes risotto rice slowly cooked in local red wine, tasty beans, rich pork fat, and decadent salami. Most recipes include onion, carrot and celery and sometimes saffron to give the rice a beautiful yellow colour. Satiate your palate with the savoury flavour and heartiness of this local favourite dish.

Fritto misto alla Piemontese means 'fried mix of Piemont', named after the region in the northwest of Italy. This dish is fun to try with friends as it is typically served to be shared by the whole table. Expect a mix of sweet and salty fried foods with unique and often surprising tastes.

You'll love the unique food experience when you try the mixed bag that is fritto misto alla Piemontese. You'll be delighted by the quirky ingredients which can include frog's legs and organ meats like liver, lungs, and kidneys. In a serving, you'll enjoy the savoury tastes of sausage, cabbage, and veal and the sweet flavours of apple, chocolate, and amaretto biscuits.

When exploring the local cuisine when you visit Turin, try lumache (snails). Lumache is cultivated locally and prepared in a variety of ways for you to enjoy. Tap into your adventurous side and sample them nudo (nude), or try them served out of the shell.

In Turin, lumache are incorporated into dishes like spaghetti and ravioli, or served roasted or pan-fried, in an olive oil dressing with tomato and garlic or a cream-based artichoke sauce. Try the most famous preparation in the region called Lumache alla Piemontese, where the snails are slowly simmered with anchovies, onions, parsley, and walnuts.

Eat like a local when you try bagna càuda on your trip to Turin. Bagna càuda is a tasty milk-based sauce with garlic and anchovies served in a big pot warmed over a flame and set in the middle of the table so it can be shared by everyone.

Take your turn dipping grilled vegetables in the steamy pot. No forks are required as you share this dish with friends. You'll enjoy the fun and flavours of dipping roasted celery, sweet red and yellow peppers, grilled endives, and fennel into the tangy sauce.

Bollito misto means 'mixed boil' and it is a stew of mixed meats cooked slowly in brodo (broth) that becomes rich and flavourful. Meat lovers will enjoy the mix of chicken, ribs, brisket beef, veal, pork, and sausage that is slowly cooked for several hours. Your mouth will water at the resulting tasty and tender meats.

Bollito misto meat is served thinly cut, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and covered with mostarda, a fresh and dried fruit relish with syrup and spices. You'll be delighted by the surprising combination of rich tender meats with the sweet and tangy condiment.

Panna cotta is a delicious chilled dessert made with thick sweetened cream and gelatine to form a moulded treat that is then drizzled with a warm sauce. Try it flavoured with vanilla, almond, coffee, caramel, lavender or rosemary. You'll enjoy the cool smooth texture, rich flavour and slight sweetness.

You'll easily find the popular panna cotta on almost every dessert menu in Turin. Have fun choosing the flavour of cream and then decide on the topping, which is often a warm berry coulis, a chocolate sauce, or a caramel liqueur drizzle. You'll be delighted by both the pretty presentation and the delicious flavour of this local Turin treat.

Don't miss the sweet treat called giandujotto when you visit Turin. The city is considered the chocolate capital of Italy and you'll see why when you try this treat. Aromatic and richly flavourful, it is made from premium cocoa, sugar, and locally grown hazelnuts that are ground into a paste.

Giandujotto comes bite-sized and individually wrapped in lovely gold or silver foil. Savour the luscious taste and the creamy smooth texture. Do like the locals do, and enjoy your giandujotto at any time of day, with espresso at breakfast, for a snack, or as dessert after a meal.