About This Quiz
Spain and Italy are two nations that are known for many things -- their people, their culture and their languages are all incredibly vibrant and exciting and attracts millions of visitors every year. Something else that draws people to these countries is their cuisines. And although people normally confuse the two, we know a foodie like you wouldn't dare. So we're going to test your knowledge of the foods served there in a quiz where we pit the Spanish against the Italians. Can you really tell us whether these dishes are from Spain or Italy?Â
We already know that the Italians take the cake when it comes to all things pasta and that the Spanish love their spices, but if we were to break it down dish by dish, do you think you'd know the difference? Allow us to show you a few platters -- you can use your memory, our clues or just the visual of the pictures to help you decide which country claims each dish. By the end, we'll know if you're on your way to becoming a foreign food connoisseur or if you should stick to hamburgers and fries.Â
A pizza is a savory Italian dish which may be eaten with a knife and fork in formal settings, but held in hand in casual settings. It has a round, flattened base made of leavened wheat dough, topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and other ingredients.
Lasagna is a savory dish which originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It consists of stacked layers of pasta filled with alternating layers of sauces, meats, vegetables and cheese, baked in an oven and then served in squares.
Paella is a Valencian rice dish and one of the region's identifying symbols. There are many types of paella including vegetable paella and mixed paella (seafood, meat and vegetables). The original recipe includes rice, vegetables, meat and seasoning.
Advertisement
An empanada is a popular Hispanic pastry, fried or baked, that can be traced back to Galicia, Spain. It consists of folded dough stuffed with meat (chicken or beef), cheese, corn or other ingredients.
Calzone is a sandwich-sized, oven-baked folded pizza which originated in Naples, Italy. It usually consists of salted bread dough and stuffed with salami, vegetables or ham, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan or pecorino cheese, and an egg.
A Churro is a fried-dough pastry, or choux-based snack that is normally eaten for breakfast dipped in hot chocolate, champurrado, café con leche and dulce de leche. It is a traditional snack in Spain and Portugal which originated in Ibero-America and the Philippines.
Advertisement
Minestrone is a thick Italian soup for which there is no set recipe. It is typically made with vegetables, meat, a meat-based broth, pasta or rice, beans, onions, carrots, tomato and celery.
Gnocchi is an Italian dish of which there a variety of recipes and names across the region. This dish consists of many small, thick and soft dough dumplings. It is made with seminola, wheat flour, cheese, potato, egg, breadcrumbs and cornmeal.
Breadsticks, also called dipping sticks or grissini is an Italian bread. It is a pencil-sized, crispy dry baked bread that is served as an appetizer, or topped with icing and cinnamon sugar as a dessert.
Advertisement
Sangria is a Spanish alcoholic beverage or punch traditionally made with red wine, chopped fruits (berries, apples, pears, melons, pineapples, peaches, or nectarines) and other ingredients including brandy or orange juice.
Gazpacho, also known as Andulasian Gazpacho, is a classic Spanish cuisine widely eaten in Spain and Portugal during the hot summers. It is a cold soup made with including olive oil, vinegar, garlic, tomato, and cucumber and served with bread.
Ravioli is a type of dumpling stuffed with filling and is usually square though may be circular or semi-circular. It is a traditional Italian dish and may be served in a broth or with a pasta sauce.
Advertisement
Panna cotta, meaning cooked cream, is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream. It is aromatized with coffee, vanilla or flavorings, thickened with gelatin and poured into a mold and allowed to set.
Chorizo or chouriço, is a type of fermented, cured and smoked pork sausage traditionally made with natural casings made from intestines. It may be grilled, fried, eaten with a sandwich or used as a pizza topping.
Crostinis are an Italian appetizer that is believed to have originated during the Medieval times. It consists of small slices of toasted or grilled bread with toppings such as cheese, meat, vegetables or simply presented with a sauce or brush of olive oil and herbs.
Advertisement
Biscotti is an oblong-shaped Italian almond biscuit that is twice-baked and has a dry, crunchy texture. Originating from the city of Prato, it is commonly referred to as cantucci and is usually dipped in a drink, traditionally Vin Santo.
Tigres are Spanish stuffed mussels and a type of tapa that is frequently served for special occasions. It is made with a very thick white sauce stuffed into mussel shells that is then breaded and fried.
Jamón is the Spanish word for ham that is usually cured for up to 18 months. There are two main commercial types of jamón; jamón Serrano and jamón ibérico, the latter of which is illegal in the U.S.
Advertisement
Filloas are Spanish pancakes similar to French crepes, but thinner and made with wheat flour rather than buckwheat flour. It is commonly eaten for breakfast and is a traditional dessert for Carnival and Easter in Spain.
Pesto is a sauce originating in Genoa, Italy traditionally made with crushed garlic, Parmesan cheese, pecorino sardo, olive oil, coarse salt, basil leaves and European pine nuts. It is served with pasta such as fettuccine, linguine and cavatappi.
Salmorejo is a pinkish-orange, cold-served puree consisting of tomato, oil, bread, garlic, vinegar, sea salt and garnished with Serrano ham and hard-boiled eggs. It originated in Cordoba in Andalucia, southern Spain.
Advertisement
Cuchifritos is the common name used in Spanish and Puerto Rican cuisine for foods prepared with pork as the main ingredient. Cuchifritos vendors usually sell the dish with fruit juices such as pineapple, passion fruit and coconut.
Ciabatta bread is an Italian white bread with an elongated, broad and flat shape. It was invented in 1982 by Arnaldo Cavallari in Verona, Veneto, Italy in response to the popularity of the French baguette.
Torrijas is the Spanish version of French toast topped with cinnamon and honey or eaten as is. It may be prepared a variety of ways such as soaked with red wine, milk, or honey and is always served cold.
Advertisement
Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish cooked to a creamy consistency in a fish, meat or vegetable broth. Risotto may be flavored with butter, Parmesan cheese, white onion and white wine.
Tiramisu is an Italian coffee-flavored dessert which translates as pick me up or cheer me up. It consists of ladyfingers soaked in coffee, altered with a layer of whipped sugar, eggs, mascarpone cheese and coffee.
Patatas bravas is a Spanish dish commonly served in bars as a tapa. It is made with white potatoes cut into small, irregular cubes, fried in oil and then served with a sauce, usually spicy tomato.
Advertisement
Chicharrón, native to Spain, is a finger food snack which consists of fried pork belly or fried pork rinds. It is usually made various cuts of pork, but may be substituted with chicken, beef or mutton.
Fettuccine Alfredo, also called fettuccine al burro, is an Italian pasta dish consisting of fettuccine tossed with a smooth and creamy sauce made of cheese and butter. It was created during the 15th century by Alfredo di Lelio I, after who the dish was named.
Arancini are Italian stuffed rice balls that are coated in breadcrumbs then deep-fried. Fillings for the arancini include all ragú, al sugo, mozzarella and or caciocavallo cheese, or ham and mozzarella or besciamella.
Advertisement
Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard granular cheese named after the Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Bologna, where it is produced. It is also known as Parmesan, which is a generic term for the same cheese made outside the traditional regions of production.
Croquetas is the Spanish variant of the French croquette and is made with a thick béchamel. It is traditionally filled with jamón, chicken, cod and less commonly apples, wild mushrooms, tuna, cheeses and cuttlefish.
Marzipan is a confection which is a traditional Christmas dessert in Spain. It consists of almond meal (ground almonds) and sugar or honey, which is then shaped and painted with food coloring to resemble fruits.
Advertisement
Carbonara, originating in Rome, is a pasta dish consisting of hard cheese, guanciale or pancetta, egg and pepper. There is no preferred cheese or pasta, though Pecorino Romano and linguine, fettuccine, bucatini or rigatoni are commonly used.
Gambas al ajillo is the Spanish variant of garlic shrimp or pawns. It is a simple dish that is prepared by sautéing the shrimp in olive oil with garlic, with recipes including paprika and a splash of Brandy.
Spaghetti Bolognese is an Italian dish frequently served outside Italy. The dish consists of spaghetti served with a sauce made of minced beef, tomatoes, garlic, wines and herbs.
Advertisement
Escabeche is the common name used for a variety of dishes of Mediterranean and Latin American origin. In Spain, it consists of chicken or meat, served with or without a savory broth.
Pisto is a Spanish dish which resembles ratatouille to a certain extent. It is made with onions, tomatoes, eggplant, red and green peppers and olive oil and served with bread, pieces of cured ham or a fried egg on top.
Ziti is an extruded Italian pasta larger than a mezzani, but smaller than rigatoni. It is similar to penne but with the edges cut straight instead of diagonally. It also differs from penne in that it has smooth sides instead of ridges.
Advertisement
Tortilla Espanola, also known as the Spanish omelet, is an omelet consisting of eggs, potatoes, onion, garlic and chives and fried in oil. It may be served hot or cold and as an appetizer or main course.