portate

Portate is the plural form of portata in Italian. In culinary terminology, a portata is a course or dish served as part of a meal. The term derives from the verb portare, meaning to carry, reflecting the idea of a dish that is carried to the table.

In usage, portate denotes the sequential courses that make up a menu. A typical Italian meal may be described in terms of prima portata (first course), which is commonly a pasta dish or soup; seconda portata (second course), usually fish or meat; and sometimes terza portata (third course). Desserts and fruit are often counted as separate final courses as dolce or frutta. The word piatto refers more to the plate or dish itself, whereas portata emphasizes the course within the progression of the meal. Antipasti are usually listed separately from the portate, and contorni (side dishes) may be included as part of a secondo or as separate portate depending on the restaurant.

Regional usage varies: some establishments treat antipasti, contorni, and dolci as distinct portate, while others group several items under a single portata. In modern Italian menus, the term is common in formal dining and culinary writing, but in everyday speech speakers may simply say una pasta, una zuppa, or un arrosto rather than specifying portate.

Etymology: portata stems from portare, "to carry," with the feminine noun form portata.

See also: Italian cuisine, Menu, Piatto.