Italian food recipes

Italian food is world famous, and perhaps one of Italy’s greatest contributions to the world today is Pizza. Made quite by chance, Pizzas are now synonymous with take away food. However there is a lot more to Italian cooking than Pizzas and a true Italian connoisseur will tell you that a Pizza is perhaps the most basic of Italian cuisine. If you are looking for a truly authentic Italian experience, then a few authentic Italian dishes like Bruschetta Al Pomodoro are far more exquisite and enjoyable.

In fact after Pizza the most popular Italian dish is pasta, with so many types of pasta available today every single type has its own distinctive flavour and method of preparation. If you love Italian food then the best way to savour it is to cook it yourself, the reason is that so called ‘authentic’ Italian restaurants are simply offering fast food in plusher surroundings, only a handful of Italian restaurants offer authentic Italian cuisine.

To begin with the first thing you need to get a hold of is a good recipe book or a website that offers Italian recipes, a good place to start is www.italianfoodrecipes.eu, the site has some rare recipes, and the cooking techniques are all authentic Italian. In addition to finding the right site you also need to understand which recipes to begin with and which one’s to try later. Not all Italian recipes are designed for beginners and you should read through the recipe, and only when you are comfortable with the recipe should you start working on it.

Another thing, that is as important as the recipe is the ingredients you use, the best place to start buying ingredients is from a store that stocks Italian ingredients, using olive oil and virgin olive oil can make all the difference in Italian cooking. In fact a common mistake most novices make is assuming that substituting ingredients in Italian cooking is okay, this is not true, even in Pizza the kind of cheese you use makes a lot of difference. If you are looking for a really authentic Italian experience, you should make sure all the ingredients you use are exactly as they are mentioned in the recipe.

Italian cooking is nothing short of an art form, and some of the most delicious and exotic dishes are from the homeland of Italy, in fact the most impressive part about Italy is that every region in Italy has its own distinctive dish, even if a dish is common the style of making the dish varies from region to region. If you are looking to make the most of your Italian cooking experience make sure you understand the recipe, feel comfortable making it and always use the recommended ingredients.

If you are still not sure which Italian dish to start your Italian cooking with, you can always start with the tried and trusted Pizza, in this case also make sure you try to make the Pizza as Italian as it can be by using the right ingredients and the perfect recipe.

Many people believe that one type of pasta is as good as the other, this is not true. Every type of pasta has its own distinctive flavour, and usually has a special dish associate with it, in fact if you visit any Italian recipe site you will notice in most cases they clearly mention which type of pasta to use. In fact Italian chefs choose pasta based on the sauce they are using, it is believe that a particular kind of pasta brings out the flavour of some sauces where others cannot. There is no denying that in due course you will end up cooking pasta, and it is important to stick to the recipe as the type of pasta you use can make a difference. Remember always stick to the recipe, experiment only when you are confident.

Buon Appetito! Dining Italian Style

Years before Italy developed into the nation we now perceive, such country was divided among warring states, which shared no common spoken language and little cultural or social traditions. It was only in 1861 that the Italy we now know came into being. Do you know that the Italian language that we hear today was virtually non-existent up until the cessation of the World War II?

Regionalism

Regionalism runs fiercely among the veins of the locals. The landscape and terrain of the boot-shaped land mass fortifies regional integrity. From the mountains to the waterways and every natural element in between, only strengthens the sense of regionalism. Now, add to the mix powerful conquerors, political alliances and intermarriages. What you will have is a melting pot of customs, including culinary flavors. Regardless of regional differences, two distinct traits have often been used in an attempt to define Italian food: Flexible and Innovative. There is always a pattern on how to cook the base of certain cuisines that need be followed, after that you can add your own flavor and make the dish your own. With that said, no risotto or pasta dish would bear the same taste coming from any two kitchen.

Seasonal Ingredients

Each area proudly possesses its own specialities and delicacies, and these vary from season to season. It is a fact that Italians have a knack for freshness. When one goes to Italy in the last quarter of the year, do not expect to be served fried zucchini flowers. Why? Because it is not in season. In addition, regional or even provincial dishes have been developed due to the availability of the ingredients. The produce is at its best if it is in season. If artichokes are in season, why not use it as antipasti together with slices of sausages and marinated olives? Of course, if your trip takes you in a city near the sea, be prepared for a lot of fish-based dishes as well as other seafood delicacies.

North versus South

Many a diner has raised the north versus south cooking. Actually, there is no style of cooking that is strictly north or strictly south. Both regions use butter; however, the north folks tend to use more (they like their sauces creamy). On the other hand, their southern counterparts, almost always, use tomato in their dishes.

Dining In Italy

Now, when in Italy, one may be confused as what the locals eat and the time they eat. Normally, breakfast consists of cappuccino or espresso, or any coffee for that matter, with a croissant or a slice of toast. Breakfast is virtually irrelevant to locals. You will see no cereals, no pancakes, and no sunny-side ups either. The term ‘heavy breakfast’ is not included in the Italian vocabulary. Today, yogurts are becoming the breakfast substitute. Lunch is not eaten at twelve noon, it starts at one and it usually lasts for two hours, even three. Dinner is also served late, around eight in the evening (and that still is early).

The Menu

Generally, Italian menus have sections, each representing a part of a full meal. First out is the antipasti (appetizer), followed by the primo (first course) and the secondo (second course), which is usually accompanied by contorni (side dish). And last but not the least is the dolce, or the dessert. With this enumerated, one may wonder why Italians are so healthy with this amount of food at their disposal.

How Italians Eat

Well, their food intake is controlled and balanced. Plus shortly after their evening meal, locals would take a passeggiata (stroll). Another way that Italians burn off calories is through shopping. (Yes, shopping!) Fresh food connotes that you purchase the produce on the day or a couple of hours before the meal will be served. Running back and forth to the marketplace to get the freshest ingredient possible not only guarantees good food, it doubles as exercise as well.

Truly, chi mangia bene, mangia Italiano! (Who eats well, eats Italian!)