30 authentic Italian foods so delicious, they'll make you forget your name

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Tortelli di Carnevale

As part of the grandiose and festive Carnevale celebration in Italy (similar to the US Mardi Gras), these delicious fried puffs are served not only as a treat but also because they were traditionally considered as a food symbolizing the "hope of a year without hunger." So eating and sharing them with friends was thought to be a good omen. They're basically just little balls of fried dough cooked in hot oil and sprinkled with granulated sugar. They're found all over Italy, sometimes under different names depending on the region of origin, but the mixture is always the same with local ingredient additions (raisins, cottage cheese, liquor, etc.). Once fried, these tasty fritters take on a crunchy gold exterior and soft, hollow inside. This makes them particularly ideal for stuffing with custard or other yummy fillings.