La Scarpetta

The Most Delicious Italian Custom You’ve Never Heard Of!

Last night in my pasta class, there was a good bit of sauce left in the bowl and a few pieces of bread lingering. I made an announcement that if anyone left that there it would be a crime! And from there, I watched with joy as these gals enjoyed La Scarpetta.

In Italy, fare la scarpetta literally means "to make the little shoe", but don’t worry, it has nothing to do with footwear. It refers to the cherished act of using a piece of bread to mop up the remaining sauce on your plate after a meal. Think of it as a culinary encore, where the bread becomes a utensil, and your taste buds get one last round of applause.

The origins of the phrase are a bit mysterious, but the most common explanation is that the bread "scoots" or “wipes” across the plate like a little shoe. It’s rustic, it’s humble, and it’s deeply satisfying. Some say it also evokes the shape of the bread scooping up sauce, like a tiny shoe collecting every last drop.

While it may be considered impolite in more formal dining settings elsewhere, fare la scarpetta is not just accepted in Italian homes, it’s ENCOURAGED!! It shows appreciation for the cook and the quality of the sauce.

La scarpetta is more than just a food habit, it’s a symbol of Italian food culture: simple ingredients, zero waste, and a deep love for flavor. It turns the end of a meal into a ritual, a final moment of connection with what you’ve just eaten.

When to do it ?

After pasta: Especially with ragù, carbonara, or amatriciana.

After stew or braised meats: When sauces are rich and too good to leave behind.

With friends and family: When no one’s judging and everyone understands the joy.

In short? Don’t let good sauce go to waste. Grab that bread and do la scarpetta, it’s what Nonna would want!