I'm mainly Irish, but Italian cuisine ROCKS...
My wife being Italian and then there is myself and our growing 9 yr old...we don't have much in the way of $$, but we eat awesomely and have many leftovers for a small budget...
We've made some of our own Pasta before...takes a bit after rolling it out, cutting it, letting it dry...but wow, is it ever good...
Now some of the other foods can be pricey, like Lasagna, Italian meatloaf with Italian Sausage, Ground Beef and Veal...
Saturday we're having Baked Ziti...LOVE that meal...we have the Ziti pasta, red gravy, she'll make her meatballs, season everything and garlic bread...she makes her own garlic bread...we get those rolls from walmart, they look kinda like sub buns, but a little smaller...she melts down butter, adds some garlic powder...roasts some bulbs of garlic with basil and olive oil...mash the garlic, add the garlic butter mixture to it...then spread on rolls...put in aluminum foil, wrap and bake...
As Dawny would say 'Ma Don Ami' (sp?) (means Oh My God in Italian)...
Great, now you all got me freakin' starvin'...