ITALIAN FOOD AND RECIPES

THE SECRET OF ITALIAN COOKING

by Eldora Perfilio

Italian food is as varied as the region it comes from and the cook who prepares it.  If you put 7 Italian cooks in one room and ask them to give you the recipe for pasta sauce you will undoubtedly get 7 totally different recipes.  This is what makes Italian food so wonderful.  It's all about the individuality and passion with which it is prepared.  Each of those same 7 cooks would argue that his/her recipe is the best or the most authentic!

We all remember our moms or grandmothers who cooked great food but could never give you a recipe to follow.  Recipes and techniques were passed down by word of mouth and we learned to cook by watching them.  To them cooking was not a chore but rather a vocation that they fulfilled to the best of their abilities.  They did it well and they did it with love.  Maybe that's why so may of our happiest family memories are connected to food.  We felt their love when we ate the food they prepared for us.

 Italian food is so wonderful, not only because of the love that goes into it's preparation, but also because of the fresh ingredients used to prepare it.  Italian food is about simplicity, and freshness- a few fresh tomatoes, some garlic, some olive oil- stirred together with just enough care to make it delicious.  There are no heavy sauces needed to masquerade the natural, fresh taste of its ingredients.  Italian cooks go to great lengths to find just the right ingredient for a particular dish.  They usually cook foods that are in season so they can avail themselves of fruits, vegetables, meats, herbs etc. that are at the peak of their flavor.

Italian cooking is all about SIMPLICITY, FRESHNESS, LOVE, and SHARING!  Buon Appetito!

 

THE ITALIAN MENU

by Anna Maria Volpi

The Italian menus throughout the country are usually composed of more than one course: a first course (primo piatto) of starchy food like pasta, lasagna, gnocchi, risotto, polenta, or a thick soup with bread or pasta; a second course (secondo piatto) of meat or fish; and a side dish (contorno) of salad or cooked vegetables.

Antipasto (appetizer), dolci (sweets), and liquor are only present for more formal Italian menu or menus.
Bread is always present at the table, and the Italian menu always includes fresh fruit as the most common dessert. Wine is generally served at dinner. Espresso coffee is served at the end of the meal.

More...Anna Maria's Italian Menus

 

ITALIAN RECIPES

of Giada De Laurentiis

Host of Food Network's Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis's passion for food began as a child when she learned to prepare recipes for her frequent family gatherings.

Born in Rome, Giada grew up in a large Italian family where the culture of food was a staple in and of itself. As the granddaughter of film producer Dino De Laurentiis, she learned to prepare many of the family's recipes as well as other Italian specialties.

Penne with Spinach Sauce

Pizettes

Basic Polenta

Straciatella Soup

Lemon spaghetti       

and more…

 

More...Giada's recipes