An Italian dinner actually has five components, or courses. Not every meal contains all five courses, but many do. If you want the full, five-course Italian dinner, here are the parts you need:

The contorno: A platter of vegetables usually accompanies the main course. This side dish highlights the simple goodness of the vegetable. The word contorno loosely translates as “contours” and refers to the fact that the vegetable course helps shape and define the meal. Roasted Red Peppers shown above