A common rule that Italians uphold when cooking pasta is never to break it so that it would fit the pot. Pasta is produced in a specific size for a reason. When you put the pasta in boiling water, gently push them down, so it does not break. Use the right pasta shape for the right sauce.
That's why breaking pasta in Italy is definitely a no-go but rest assured that you won't go to jail for breaking pasta. You are just breaking a tradition and a rooted cultural habit in Italy, but you are free to eat the pasta the way it's more convenient for you.
A 1967 Italian decree called the “purity law” requires that all dried pasta sold in Italy be made from durum wheat, a hard-grained, coarse strain.
The SPAGHETTI rule
Not everyone knows that, when Italians cook spaghetti, they never break them before putting them in the hot water! It is forbidden!
The reason why you should not break pasta is that it's supposed to wrap around your fork. That's how long pasta is supposed to be eaten. You rotate your fork, and it should be long enough to both stick to itself and get entangled in a way that it doesn't slip off or lets sauce drip from it.
If you are offered second servings, it is absolutely fine to decline. It is not rude or offensive to the host to say that you are full and leave a small amount on your plate, or refuse to have second servings.
Marinara sauce doesn't exist in Italy
As such, it's best to avoid asking for pasta with marinara sauce or a sandwich with marinara sauce in Italy, as this may not be a familiar or recognizable dish to many Italians.
Italy is known for it's very late meals - lunch is about 1.30pm (earliest!) and dinner depends on the season - it can be as late at 11pm! One of the reasons for such late dinners, is so that the members of the family can wait for each other to come back from work and sit down at the table all together.
Thou shalt only drink cappuccino, caffé latte, latte macchiato or any milky form of coffee in the morning, and never after a meal. Italians cringe at the thought of all that hot milk hitting a full stomach. An American friend of mine who has lived in Rome for many years continues, knowingly, to break this rule.
No Spoon Twirling
It's customary to set the table with a fork, knife, and spoon, and you can use your spoon to add sauce and cheese, and then to mix the pasta. However, pasta is meant to be eaten with your fork alone – no spoons to assist. Having a hard time mastering the fork twirling method?
Yes, you still need to pay the coperto, even if you don't eat the bread. One exception – in Lazio (which includes Rome), charging a coperto is illegal, but the restaurant may try to charge you for pane (bread). You can refuse the pane and avoid the charge.
On the plate
It is such a culinary sin that some people ask if it is illegal to cut pasta. The answer is no but it isn't good etiquette. In Italy, it is very common to use the spoon to taste a lot of dishes (e.g. pretty much anything that is creamy or a contains a lot of sauce).
Ketchup. Whether it's for dipping pizza crusts into, or, worse still, putting on pasta, ketchup has no place on an authentic Italian table. The Academia Barilla, run by the world's leading pasta brand, called ketchup on pasta 'a true culinary sin,' so leave it for your French fries.
An Italian would never pair angel hair pasta with a chunky meat sauce, nor would one cover tortellini in Alfredo sauce. And an Italian would never, ever use a spoon to eat pasta -- unless that pasta is in soup.
Also, apparently, some cathedrals will not let you enter wearing shorts. I am here to tell you, that this is incorrect. You can wear shorts in Italy and look perfectly normal. Here are a few examples of Italians we saw wearing shorts in Italy when it was in the mid-80s in September.
It is improper to put one's hands on one's lap, or to stretch one's arms while at the table. Resting one's elbows on the table is also considered to be poor manners. Do not leave the table until everyone has finished eating. Drinking beverages other than water or wine with a meal is quite uncommon.
Don't wander around alone: Moving freely around someone else's home is considered rude and inappropriate. Accept something they offer: Leaving a house without having a coffee, a piece of cake, or even just a glass of water might disappoint your host.
Yes, you do have to pay for water. (You can ask for “acqua dal rubinetto,” tap water, but it's often seen as a bit rude.
Don't ask for cheese
When you're in Italy, it's normal to want to put parmesan cheese on everything, but don't. Many chefs will serve up your food exactly how they believe it should be eaten, and will likely take offence if you think it needs something extra.
The Typical Italian Breakfast
Breakfast or la colazione, is usually eaten at the bar, the Italian equivalent of a cafe or coffee shop, or at home from 7:00 to 10:30am.