primo

An Italian dish that's served first at an Italian meal is called "primo". You might hear about restaurants serving pasta dishes as their primo.

In Italian cuisine, the primo is essentially the main course of rice or pasta. It's the dish that kicks off a multi-course meal and sets the stage for what's to come. Think of it like the appetizer in an American-style dinner – but more substantial. When you're at an Italian restaurant, the waiter might say something like, "We have four different primos tonight: spaghetti carbonara, fettuccine Alfredo, pappardelle with wild boar ragù, and risotto alla Milanese."