A Deep Dish report by third-party delivery company DoorDash, reveals that new trends have emerged from the pandemic, such as an increase in the popularity of comfort food. In fact, data reveals that menu items like “create-your-own” pizza are up significantly (1,501%).[1]

Though upwardly trending, pizza is not the only comfort food that hails from Italy. Keep reading for our recommended Italian-inspired take-out and delivery items, perfect for rounding out homestyle classics or adding an unexpected twist.

Olive Oil

From marinades, dressings, sauces, dips, and even desserts, olive oil is a key ingredient in Italian cuisine. How is it so versatile? Olive oil is available in many forms – from pure and refined to virgin and extra virgin.

Balsamic Vinegar

This sweet and tart vinegar is made from cooked grape must, which lends the vinegar a beautiful dark color. A tablespoon of vinegar will add an extra layer of flavor and brightness to dressings, sauces, and stews.

Balsamic Glaze

Balsamic Glaze is packaged in a plastic squeeze bottle that fits perfectly in the user’s hand for quick, decorative applications. It contains the unique sweet-tart flavor of balsamic along with deep rich color.

From the Roland Foods Culinary Team: Italian-inspired Take-out & Delivery Tips

Create a fun take-out and delivery experience for customers with Italian-inspired meal-kits.

• Pizza: dough, sauce, and toppings.
• Date Night: pasta, sauce, and a bottle of wine.
• The Breadbasket: baguette, olive oil, tapenade, vinegar, and pesto.
• Antipasti Board: olives, chutney, honey, crostini, tinned fish, cheese, or meats.
• Half-baked: prep containers of half-baked dishes such as lasagna, baked ziti, or mac n cheese for customers to easily finish at home.

Three Ingredients, Three Ways

Fall Dining

Menu simplification, a trend that has been surfacing the past few years, has peaked in 2020. We think this trend will only accelerate due to the pandemic. According to Restaurant Dive, restaurants will streamline their offerings to reduce labor and improve efficiencies, product quality, and order time.[2]

Three Ingredients Three Ways

One way chefs and restaurant owners are simplifying menus is by featuring limited ingredients in several applications. See our easy formula for quick and delicious fall dishes using the same three ingredients:

• Quinoa
• Kalamata Olives
• Olive Oil

1. Skillet Kalamata Quinoa Cakes – slide on a bun with tzatziki for a tasty meatless burger

2. Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Warm Kalamata Olives – frying olives results in a unique smoky flavor and an unexpected melt-in-your-mouth texture

3. Butternut Squash Quinoa Stew with Kalamata Olives – replace noodles or rice in a stew with quinoa for added heartiness, perfect for colder weather meals

Content courtesy of Roland Foods