Cooking like an Italian takes skill. After all, rustling up a quick lasagne, or whacking a pre-made pizza in the oven doesn’t quite count as mastering the art of Italian cooking.
We’re envious of our Italian friends across the way, they have incredible skills in the kitchen, often passed down to them by their Nonna, who got it from their Nonna, and so on.
Here are 13 tricks to steal straight from the Italians themselves to turn your dinners into culinary masterpieces.
1. Bolognese sauce should be served with tagliatelle not spaghetti
While a classic spag bol may grace many family dinner tables here in the UK, it’s actually tagliatelle that should traditionally be served with a meat-based ragu. After all, it hails from Bologna in Italy – and they know best!
2. Don’t smother in sauce
As easy as it can be to drown your pasta in lots of delicious sauce, the real Italian way is to only lightly cover the dish, and let the pasta do the talking.
3. Don’t just eat cheese on top of pasta
While hard cheeses such as Grana Padano are fantastic grated onto a bowl of pasta, they also taste delicious alone. Grana Padano’s full-flavoured and nutty texture tastes excellent alongside a glass of chilled prosecco or Spumante - and they both hail from Northern Italy.
4. Add balsamic vinegar to your kitchen cupboard
Whether it’s splashed into dishes, drizzled over salad or for dipping breads in, balsamic vinegar is a definite kitchen cupboard staple for Italians.
5. Eat pasta al-dente
Italians eat their pasta al-dente, translating as ‘to the tooth.’ This means the pasta should be relatively soft but hold a firm texture.
6. Adorn your windowsill and garden with fresh herbs
Not only do fresh herbs smell beautiful, they’re also much tastier to add to dishes rather than dried packets. Basil, bay, oregano, thyme, sage, parsley and rosemary are all must-haves in Italian dishes.
7. Make your own sauce
We’re often reminded of the horrifying salt and sugar content in pre-made pasta sauces, but it’s easy to make your own. All you need for a simple tomato sauce is some olive oil, onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, fresh basil and/or oregano and a little seasoning. Followed by a good sprinkling of freshly grated Grana Padano when serving.
8. Invest in a good quality olive oil
If possible, try to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. You can drizzle this over pastas, risottos, salads and soups.
9. Pick a versatile cheese
While it may be tempting to use grated cheddar on top of a dish if you already have it in the fridge, hard cheeses like Grana Padano are much more versatile to use. You can lightly shave it or grate it on top of your cooking, slice to add more flavour to a dish (such as a salad), or even break it off into small chunks to nibble on while you’re cooking.
10. Choose a good wine
And by good, we don’t mean expensive! Plus, if the recipe calls for wine in it, use the same wine in the dish that you’ll be drinking at the table.
11. Embrace the taste of seafood
Italians love their fish, shellfish especially. Never try and hide the salty, fresh taste of seafood. Rather than add tons of different flavours to it, embrace its natural flavour instead.
12. Enjoy a good homemade pizza
Originating in Naples, pizza is synonymous with Italian cuisine. However the type of pizza you make depends on the area. Naples pizza has thick crust, while Rome traditionally serves thin crisps bases.
13. Make it an event
The biggest trick to cooking like an Italian? Make dinnertime a real occasion. Meals should be enjoyed with loved ones and never rushed.
For more information on Grana Padano’s rich Italian cultural heritage, and for more recipe ideas, please visit Grana Padano's website and Facebook page.
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Vicky is our Food & Drink Director, where she oversees strategy and content across all of Hearst's brands, from recipe development to fun video franchises and everything in between.
With almost a decade's experience, Vicky was previously Editor of Delish UK, and Digital Food Editor of Good Housekeeping and she lives and breathes food content creation.
Outside of work, Vicky loves learning about wine, eating her way around the world, and hanging out with her dog Pickle.
