Main course Italian dish

Pre-meal and first-course servings are what is enjoyed before the main course in an Italian meal.

Specifically, the antipasto("before the meal") consists of small edibles to stimulate the appetite. The primo piatto ("first plate") focuses upon pasta, polenta, rice or soup. The secondo piatto ("second course") is the main meal of chicken, fish or meat. The contorno ("outline, profile" is the side dish of vegetables. The dolce ("sweet") will be the equivalent of dessert.