5 Tips for Cooking Italian Food

We all have cravings, especially for Italian food. You don’t have to go to an Italian restaurant every time your craving strikes. You can learn how to cook Italian food in your own kitchen by practicing and perfect your skills. And sooner or later, you’ll be making the perfect pasta and have the essentials on hand.

So, if you want to learn how to cook Italian food like at your favourite Italian restaurant, here are 5 tips for cooking Italian food:

1. Keep it Seasonal

Did you know ingredients should be bought in the season? In Italy, they use fresh, in season produce to give their dishes a fantastic flavour. This means you’ll use less fat or salt to improve the taste of your dish. In addition, using fresh, in season ingredients are more nutrient dense.

2. Invest in Quality Olive Oil

If you want to cook Italian food like nonna or a professional chef, you need to invest in good quality olive oil. This will be used to drizzle over different types of dishes such as pasta, soups, salads, and risottos. So, change your regular cooking oil for a good quality olive oil because it’s so much better for you, especially if you’re trying to be healthy.

3. Keep your Pasta Simple

One simple tip to keep in mind when preparing to cook pasta, don’t allocate more than 120g of pasta per person. Many of us make the mistake of throwing the whole bag in the pot and end up cooking too much. In addition, you need to watch your pasta so it doesn’t over cook. The best way to cook your pasta is “al dente,” which is firm to the bite.

4. Pick a Versatile Cheese

You should avoid using grated cheddar on top of your Italian dish. Instead, you should use hard cheeses such as Pecorino, Parmesan, Grana Padano, and Parmigiano Reggiano. You can lightly grate it or slice it to add more flavour to a dish.

5. Make your Sauce

Stop using pre-made pasta sauces. Do you know how easy it is to make your own sauce? Just grab some onion, garlic, basil, oregano, tomatoes, and seasoning. Use your home-made sauce to lightly coat the pasta instead of drowning it.

6. Salad Dressing

If you’re looking to make salad with your pasta, use good quality balsamic vinegar. You can make a health dressing mix with balsamic vinegar instead of mayonnaise and creamy salad dressings.