This ancient dish with Roman origins is regarded as one of the simplest and most satisfying Italian dishes. Cacio e pepe consists of pasta (usually spaghetti), aged Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, and lots of ground black pepper. Since the ingredients are easy to transport and do not spoil easily, it was once the favorite dish of Roman shepherds.

This timeless Italian classic is another staple of cucina povera - the traditional Italian peasant-style cooking that makes as much as possible with the fewest ingredients. Even though the official name of this simple, iconic dish literally translates to spaghetti, garlic and oil, the essential ingredient that adds a spicy kick and a nice touch of warmth is the tiny red chili pepper known in Italian as peperoncino rosso, or diavolillo (lit. little devil), as it is affectionately referred to in some parts of the country.

Even though they are often thought to be synonymous, tagliatelle al ragù—one of Bologna's signature dishes—bears little or no resemblance to the dish known as spaghetti Bolognese in the rest of the world. In fact, the world famous Italian ragù alla Bolognese meat sauce is never served with spaghetti in Bologna.

Even though carbonara is considered a typical Roman dish today, its origins are quite vague and often disputed. The name is said to have been derived from the carbonari, woodcutters and charcoal-makers who lived in the Appenine mountains northeast of Rome, and who supposedly cooked their pasta over a hardwood charcoal fire and tossed it with eggs and cheese.

This rich and filling piatto unico (lit. single plate; one-dish meal) is traditionally made from layers of homemade, typically spinach-flavored fresh egg lasagna pasta that is topped with béchamel sauce and a rich meat sauce called ragù alla Bolognese.