Italian food is something that everyone loves. When you’re presented with an Italian dish in front of you, you ought to know that these dishes come from a blend of Italy’s many cultures. When you enjoy it so much, it also pays to learn the best Italian food cooking techniques from the experts. That way, you can recreate these dishes right in the comfort of your own kitchen.
If you want to enjoy your Italian food to its maximum potential, there are various things you can try and many more still that you need to keep in mind. It’s a wonderful thing to know that there are so many different things you can do to improve when cooking Italian cuisine. With the right information, you can make some amazing dishes, and these all start with the right techniques.
With this in mind, here are some very simple techniques to get you started on the right foot and make your Italian cuisine the envy of those who eat it.
1. Be Generous With The Cheese
There are many different kinds of cheeses that can be used in Italian dishes. It’s often recommended that you get your hands on some as well. These are best used on the side for dipping the pasta and the dishes.
The fact that the Greeks and Romans also used olive oil with cheese also shows that the relationship between olive oil and cheese is important in preparing Italian food. Olive oil is the most widely used fat in Italy and is extensively used in Italian dishes and in restaurants like La Piazza Dario. There are two very simple reasons why it’s used in the preparation of Italian dishes: first, the fat is extremely good for your health and, second, it provides a rich base upon which other ingredients can be added.
Suppose you want to see how this all goes together. In that case, you can visit one of the many restaurants that offer Italian cuisine, such as La Piazza Dario Italian Restaurant, all over the world. Many of these restaurants will have a cheese board, which is made up of various cheeses that can be used in dishes. This is to provide the base for many different kinds of dishes and not just to add flavor. Cheese is added to many different types of dishes to give them more depth and richness and is very often used in combination with herbs and spices, which is another reason for its popularity.
2. Marinate The Food
One of the most important Italian cooking techniques is marinating food. There are many different ways that you can marinate your food depending on the dish or the raw ingredient you’re working with. Some of the most common ways include:
- You can marinate food either in the oven or on a rack in a warm, dry place.
- You can also let the meat marinate overnight in the fridge or freezer, then allow it to be cooked while you heat the oven or grill the food over medium heat.
Marinating the food is a very important step to do before cooking so that your food will have an abundance of flavor. Remember that this is the trademark of Italian dishes, wherein you get flavorful food. You’d want to stay away from otherwise bland dishes.
3. Use Olive Oil
Another Italian food cooking technique is using olive oil. Many people have the misconception that this type of oil is not good for cooking, but it’s actually quite the opposite. Olive oil is very healthy and natural and helps give the food that nice rich flavor you’ll find in Italian cuisine.
If you don’t have olive oil with you right now and you’ve got no time to buy one, you can also use butter or lard. However, be very careful with it as the fats in the butter may cause the food to become sticky and greasy.
4. Be Very Particular About The Preparation Of The Pasta
Another Italian food cooking technique is making the pasta the day before you’re going to eat it. This way, the pasta has had enough time to rest, and it’s not hard to cut it into small pieces when cooking.
After letting it sit for at least a day, here are the basic steps to apply when cooking pasta:
- The first thing you need to do is boil the pasta and then drain out any excess water.
- After you’ve drained out the water, put the pasta on the stove to cook, and then add any seasonings that you like. Some people prefer to add the salt first, then the pepper, then the oregano. This is a way of ensuring that the Italian food cooking technique you choose will give you a well-seasoned dish.
- When cooking the pasta, stir it constantly to ensure that it doesn’t end up all mashed together. The key is for you to end up creating a delicious sauce rather than a sauce that’s too dry. Another way to make sure that you don’t end up having a dry dish is to just gradually add water until the pasta is completely dry. This way, you can avoid a pot that ends up full of water.
5. Always Use Fresh Ingredients
The most important part of making Italian food at home is to always have fresh ingredients on hand. Cooking with fresh ingredients produces more flavor, resulting in better-tasting Italian dishes.
You will have to look around and find some local suppliers that can provide you with some really good ingredients.
By doing this, you will also save money because you won’t have to purchase Italian groceries from a large chain.
Conclusion
Remember, you can make your own Italian food at home without spending a fortune. The only thing you’ll need is a little imagination, and you can become the chef of your own home. Follow the techniques above, and you can start whipping up Italian dishes like a pro. All that’s left for you to do is to start shopping for all the ingredients you’ll need for your Italian meals.