Invented by Stefano Callegari in 2008 in Rome, trapizzino is a popular street food item consisting of a pocket of pizza bianca that is typically filled with a meat or vegetable filling – usually classic Roman dishes that would traditionally be impossible to consume on the go.

The tasty trapizzino originated from pizza by-the-slice, and its name is a play on words combining tramezzino (Italian triangular sandwiches) and pizza. This snack should be soft on the inside and crunchy outside, and due to its popularity, it even gained international acclaim and started to appear on the streets of New York as well.

Polpette is a word denoting Italian meatballs, traditionally consisting of ground beef or veal (and sometimes pork) that is shaped into small balls. These meatballs are usually enriched with a wide variety of ingredients such as parsley, eggs, garlic, and sometimes even mortadella or Parmigiano Reggiano.

Although some might think that polpette are served with pasta, that is mostly an American thing, and Italian polpette are typically consumed on their own as a snack, appetizer, or finger food that is especially beloved by children of all ages.

Pizzetta is a small version of pizza that varies in size and shape, so some pizzettas can even be prepared in the shape of a heart. It is made in the same way as a regular, large pizza, consisting of a dough base (or puff pastry) topped with sauces, cheeses, and various additional ingredients.

The dish is usually served as an appetizer, a quick snack, or a light meal. In Rome's bakeries, pizzette are often sold by weight, and if you order an apéritif at a café, you might even get a complimentary pizzetta with your order.

These crescent-shaped turnovers are traditionally prepared for the Carnival season, and even though it is believed that they originated in the Apulia region, panzerotti are extremely popular all across southern Italy. They resemble small calzone pizzas—both in shape and the dough used for its preparation—but instead of being oven-baked, panzerotti are deep-fried, which is why they're also called calzoni fritti (fried calzones), pizze fritte (fried pizzas), or simply frittelle (fritters).

The classic panzerotto filling consists of merely tomatoes and mozzarella, but they can be filled with pretty much anything and in various combinations: prosciutto-mozzarella, pepperoni-provolone, spinach-ricotta, zucchini-mozzarella, onion-olives-tomatoes, speck-fontina, etc. 

Pane e olio is an Italian phrase meaning bread and oil, referring to a simple yet classic Italian dish that highlights the quality of its basic ingredients: bread and olive oil. Traditional Italian bread such as ciabatta, focaccia, or a rustic country loaf is typically used, while extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the oil of choice due to its superior flavor and health benefits.

High-quality, cold-pressed olive oil from regions like Tuscany or Puglia is ideal. The bread is usually sliced and may be served fresh or lightly toasted, with toasting enhancing its texture and providing a warm base for the olive oil. The olive oil is typically poured into a small dish or bowl for dipping, though some variations may include a drizzle of olive oil directly on the bread slices. 

These irregularly-shaped buckwheat fritters are a traditional delicacy of the Valtellina valley, where buckwheat has been used since the 1600s. They are prepared with a thick batter that employs buckwheat, beer, and a splash of grappa, while the final addition is diced cheese, preferably the local Valtellina Casera.

It is believed that they were named sciatt, denoting a toad in the local dialect, because of their unusual shape and dark color. They are traditionally served on a bed of fresh seasonal salads and are enjoyed as an appetizer or a snack.

This traditional Italian savory treat is prepared with various fillings that are enclosed between two layers of puff pastry. Typically round in shape, rustico is usually filled with a combination of béchamel sauce, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese, but there are also varieties that employ spinach or ricotta.

Unlike other local delicacies from Salento and Lecce, rustico is not part of the traditional country-style cuisine and is believed to have developed in the 1700s, following the invention of béchamel sauce. The pastry is a common street food item, and it is mainly enjoyed as a breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Borlengo is a traditional pancake made from a batter of flour, salt, milk, and eggs. The pancakes are very thin because borlengo was originally consumed by poor people and peasants, who used to make it only with flour and water. Today, the pancakes are made in a cartwheel-sized pan, resulting in a huge, monstrously large snack that is often buttered with bacon fat, garlic, and rosemary.

It is recommended to top borlengo with some grated cheese.

Arancini are big, golden rice balls filled with a savory combination of ingredients in the center. These balls are especially popular in Sicily. The fillings often include meat sauce with peas, dried prosciutto, cheeses such as mozzarella and pecorino, tomatoes, or dried capers.

The balls are rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil, developing the characteristical golden color of the exterior. A popular theory says that the dish was invented in the 10th century during the Kalbid rule of Sicily. The name of the dish is derived from the Italian word for orange, arancia, referring to the similarities in visual appearance and color, so arancini means small oranges.