I think you may have misheard. The normal slang name for Italians is I-ties. I-ties (pronounced eye-ties) is short for Italian.
crapopoop
Lira
nona
Spring tides
the moon
cheong siam.
1400
Monaco of Baviera
1400
Paison
Italians call it mais or cereale. And it can also be called polenta when ground it's down to a meal made from the maize.
Italians were called first when Europeans started heavily migrating to America. It means 'without papers'.