Personal Perspective
As a Brit who served with the ITAF for a number of years, my experience is somewhat at odds with the original post. The Italians care about their food, sometimes at the expense of other priorities. I've dined at many conscript /sotto ufficiale messes around the country and have always been served a plentiful and healthy meal. True, if you don't like pasta then you'll be one course down on the next man. But even without the 'primo piatto' (pasta dish) the rest of the ensemble (meat dish with a veg side-dish, bread & fruit) is as good (but different) to Brit military grub.
If you're eating out, then the country has some fantastic cuisine to offer in both the North and South. The real difference is that quality is across the board. Even the most modest (and cheap) restaurants serve good quality food.
I can see how an airman thrown into this situation may find the cultural dislocation a little tricky at first, but a few months without curry or fish 'n chips will make them taste all the better on return.