Italian Ingredients & Techniques
Ingredients:
Aceto
It's easy to make vinegar -- both fruit and wine -- at home, and the results are superior to commercial vinegars. It's also easy to flavor vinegar with aromatic herbs and spices; they add a delightful something to salads, and are perfect for flavoring meats, fish and vegetables.Aglio!
Italian cooking is less garlicky than many think, but this doesn't mean there are no garlicky dishes...Arance!
Oranges are one of the great bounties of winter.Aromi per Panature: Flavored Breadcrumbs
Making flavored breadcrumbs for breading fried foods, sprinkling over casseroles, or using in fillings is quick and easy. They also make nice gifts.Artichokes
Buying and preparing this amazingly versatile winter vegetable.Asparagi
Asparagus is the quintessence of spring.Baccalà
Unexpected delight from Salt Cod -- how to select and prepare it.Braciole & Cotolette
Cutlets, also known as braciole, can be either veal or pork, and flat or rolled. Lots of variety, to match every occasion!Broccoli Raab
One of the wilder members of the broccoli family, with an abundance of tasty leaves in addition to the florets.Cachi
Persimmons and thoughts on the Italian language -- there is a connection.Camosci, Caprioli, Cervi, Daini, Stambecchi…. Furred Game, in Short
If you venture into the mountains in Italy chances are that you will be offered game, especially venison. It's easy to prepare at home too.Cardoons
Close cousins of the artichoke, and a classic winter vegetable in Northern Italy.Cauliflower
A classic winter vegetable takes center stage.Ceci!
Chickpeas make for wonderful hearty soups.Cipolle
Onions: Both herb and vegetable, and fit for all seasonsCozze & Vongole
With thousands of miles of coastline, Italians eagerly enjoy mussels and clams.Cuscus
Sicilian, and also Jewish.Fagioli
You may associate beans with winter, but they can be wonderfully refreshing in summer too.Fagiolini
String beans are one of the harbringers of summer, a delightful announcement that winter is past. Notes on selecting and preparing them, and lots of recipes.Farro
The grain that fed the Legions is making a comeback, and quite deservedly so. How to purchase & prepare it.Finocchio
Bulb fennel is one of the treats of winter.Fiori di Zucchine
Zucchini flowers are tasty, and extremely versatile.Fresh Figs
Fresh figs have been a South Italian staple for thousands of years. They're wonderful as is, make excellent jams, are superb in cakes, and that's just the beginning.Fregula
A fine-graiend Sardinian pasta that's good served dry with a sauce, and very tasty in soup too.Formaggio Grana
The King of Cheeses has many uses.La Festa del Maiale
Pork was a seasonal meat in Italy, and much more popular in winter than summer.La Focaccia Ligure
The perfect bread for a rustic meal or a quick snack, and an excellent antipasto too.Lamb
One of the classic spring-time meats, especially in the South, and Easter wouldn't be quite the same without it.Le Bruciate
How to select and roast a chestnut, one of the unsung heros of Italian cuisine.Lupini -- what to do with them?
An Italian country fair wouldn't seem quite right without these legumes. here's how to prepare them.Lenticchie
Lentils are a requirement on New Year's Eve, but delicious at any time.The Marvelous Mushroom
Porcini are one of God's great gifts to Humanity, a mushroom delicate enough to flavor a sauce, yet vigorous enough to stand up to a grilled steak with Barolo.Melanzane
A few words on selecting eggplant and their place in the Italian diet.Melagrane
Pomegranates symbolize fall, and new life too.Andar per Olio
Fall is upon us, and soon the olives will be pressed.Orzo & Orzotto -- Barley
People associate barley with beer, but it's excellent in soups, too.The Pasta Glossary
Pasta comes in all sorts of shapes, which are similar but not completely interchangeable. A photographic golssary, with recipe suggestions for the various kinds.Pecorino Romano
An anciant cheese, enjoyed by the Romans and still very popular even now.Pecorino Toscano DOP
Tuscany's pecorino is much milder than Romano, and is equally delightful as an ingredient or munched with a pear.Piatti di Pesce
Thousands of miles of coastline, lakes, and rivers make for a tremendous variety of fish.Peperoni
That's bell peppers, not sausage. A few words on buying and preparing them.Piselli
Peas are one of the greatest joys of the spring and summer months. Versatile, too.Pesche!
Summer brings to mind many things, especially peaches.Potatoes: the Glorious Tuber
Few Vegetables are as tasty, satisfying, or versatile.Provolone: From South to North
One of the classic South Italian-style cheeses is made in the North.A Qualcuno Piace Forte
Some unusual hot pepper-laced recipes.Radicchio Rosso di Treviso
It really is bright red, and is one of the most glorious of all winter vegetables.Salumi
Recipes for making prosciutto, salame, sausages and such at home.Seppie
There's lots one can do with cuttlefish!Speck: A Jewel from the Südtyrol
Superb, delicately smoked cured hams.Strawberries
Announce the arrival of spring.Tempo di Mele!
Apples, the classic fall fruit, have many uses.Testaroli
Some hold they're a precursor of pasta. They're fantastic with pesto sauce.Tomatoes
What could be more refreshing in summer?Tripe
A classic Italian dish. Background, preparation, and a basic recipe.Tuna
Thoughts on the fish and some tasty recipes.Vitello
Veal is delicate, tasty, and versatile.On the Truffle Trail
Black & White, and both gifts of the Gods. Festivals in Italy, and lots of recipes for when you get home.Zucchini
Selecting and cooking a quintessential summer vegetable.Cooking Techniques:
Never Cooked Italian?
The organization of a meal and what you'll need.Arancini di Riso
Few dishes can better reveal Sicily's past than these tasty rice fritters, which are excellent as snacks, antipasti, or a simple meal.Baking Fish
A procedure more than a recipe, a good baked fish is one of the finest dishes you could want. And simple to do too.Baking Lasagna and Other Kinds of Pasta
The variety is incredible!Bavaresi!
You might not think Bavarian creams particularly Italian, but they are popular, and extremely varied. Some are even savory side dishes. Also, some observations on gelatin.Cannelloni
Also known (in the US) as manicotti, these are a relatively recent development. And good too.Carnevale
There are lots of ways to celebrate the last night before the arrival of Lent.Conserve
Fruit preserves & jams to carry summer over into winter.Cooking an Arrosto Morto
A classic, very simple Tuscan technique for pot roasting, which is perfect for making roast beef on the stove.Crostini
A festive Tuscan meal wouldn't feel right without them.Focacce and Calzoni.
More wonders from the pizza oven.Il Fritto Misto
A well-cooked platter of mixed fried foods is wonderfully refreshing.A Fuoco Vivo
Ideas for firing up the grill.Gelati & Sorbetti
How to make all sorts of ice creams and sherbets, which are wonderful in the summer and perfect year round.Gnocchi, Potato and Otherwise
On making all sorts of gnocchi.Home-Made Pasta
How to make the basic building block for ravioli, lasagna and lots of other things at home.Making Frittata
A wonderfully easy and tasty way to stretch eggs into a feast for a multitude.Making Liquori Casalinghi
Home made liqueurs are surprisingly easy to make and astonishingly good -- much better and more varied than the commercial stuff.Making Pesto
Thoughts on this most Ligurian of Sauces.Making Risotto
Making risotto is a bit like learning to ride a bicycle: Takes a bit of practice at first, and concentration thereafter.Oil for Frying
Not all oils are equally suited to the task.Pasta
It's easy to cook but there are some basic rules.Pasta al Cartoccio
Baking pasta in an aluminum foil packet may sound odd, but it's guarantted to stun your guests. And romantic as well.Pasta al Forno
Lasagna is the best-known baked pasta, but there's quite a bit of variety: timballos, timpanos, and much more.Pizza!
Arguably the national dish, and certainly the best known abroad. Making the dough and topping suggestions.Polenta
The pasta of the North and then some, it's amazingly versatile, and perfect for important occasions or every day meals.Polpette & Polpettoni
Meatballs and meatloaves: Quick, easy and versatile.Ravioli & other Stuffed Pasta
They're easy to make, and extremely varied.Siroppi
Fruit syrups, the foundations of Italian Ices and wonderful ice cream toppings besides.Sott'Oli & Sotto Aceti
Pickling vegetables or packing them in oil: preserving summer bounty for the winter months.Stuffing Vegetables
Stuffed vegetables are easy to make, and they're extremely refreshing in the summer months.Walnuts
The Romans loved them, and with good reason: They're still one of the nicer things about autumn.Zucca
Squash, one of the classic fall and winter vegetables.For a more detailed overview of the recipes and other information on the site check the General Recipe Index.
