When I was in college, I studied abroad in Rome for a semester (Fall, 2006).  I lived with a family--a woman named Elvira and my Italian sister, 11 year old Silvia.  Now, I think when most people think of "Italian" food, they think pasta and pizza, and while we did eat those things, my experience of Italian food was much different.  Most nights at home, Elvira would make simple things like lentil stew (my first experience with lentils), sauteed spinach, and carrot salad.  In fact, just about every night we had carrot salad.