Pasta dishes are about as commonplace in Italian cuisine as meals that take full advantage of certain meats. If you’ve looked at the main entrees on our menu before, you’ll have noticed this in spades! Two dishes should jump out at you immediately when you go to order: ossobucco and veal parmesan. Both of these are delicious meals in their own right, so it’s tough to make a decision on which one is best to eat. How will you decide? We break down what makes each dish unique and similar to each other below!
What Similarities Do The Dishes Have?
At first glance, ossobucco and Veal parmesan may look like two completely separate dishes. For the most part, they are – at least in terms of presentation and some of the ingredients! However, there are two key similarities that these two dishes share. The first has to do with their meat content: both ossobucco and Veal parmesan are made with cuts of Veal! The second is their Italian origin. Both of these dishes come from Italy, albeit from completely different areas of the country. Veal parmesan started off as eggplant parmesan in the Campania region, while ossobucco is from the North in the Lombard region.
Their Main Differences
The key differences between ossobucco and veal parmesan stretch far beyond their appearance! Ossobucco doesn’t need to use Veal at all, as it is sometimes replaced with cuts of beef and even pork depending on where you have it. In Veal parmesan, it can sometimes be substituted for eggplant and chicken, although the latter is more commonly found in the United States. However, the main difference between these two dishes comes from their ingredients and flavor profile:
- Ossobucco: Ossobucco is cooked by braising the meat with white wine and a special broth. It’s mainly garnished with vegetables like tomatoes and served with either risotto or polenta.
- Veal parmesan: Veal parmesan is much simpler to make in practice. All you need to do is take a breaded cut of veal and add parmesan cheese, tomato sauce, and your choice of pasta to the dish. It’s much sweeter than ossobucco – but this is by design!
Try Both Options at Trattoria Il Panino
There is one similarity between the two dishes that we neglected to mention – you can find them both for the best quality at Trattoria Il Panino! We specialize in a wide variety of Italian delights that will remind you of being along the Italian coastline. For an authentic Italian experience minus the plane ticket, click here to make a reservation with us!