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Receta Italian Cooking Cards
by Madison House Chef

~The Key to Italian Cooking

Italian food is ingredient driven and focuses on local, fresh, and seasonal products.

Italians use a variety of ingredients in Italian cooking, but there are some ingredients chefs use more than others. The five key ingredients used in Italian cooking are: pasta, extra-virgin olive oil, real balsamic vinegar, prosciutto and parmesan cheese.

Some of the other main ingredients used in Italian cooking are: wine, tomatoes, onions, garlic, marinara sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, capers, rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano.

~Antipasto as a Meal

Ordinarily, the antipasto course is served first, however, these foods go together in any combination to make a meal or picnic.

bread

cheese, buy it by the slice

pecorino, fresh mozzarella and feta

olives

pickles

pickled red peppers

fresh vegetables, sliced/cut

fresh fruit, sliced/cut

meat, buy un etto (about 100g or 1/4lb)

prosciutto

turkey breast

salami

crackers

bread sticks

Italian cookies for dessert

~Tips for Cooking Pasta

There is no secret to cooking pasta except to make sure you use in abundant amount of salted water, bring to a rapid boil, and use a high quality of pasta. If using dried pasta cook, stirring frequently, until al dente. When al dente, drain and either add to the sauce or if holding for a later date, Never shock pasta in cool water! If using fresh pasta, the cooking time will be far less. Here are some basic cooking tips for your next pasta dish:

1. Before adding your pasta, let the water come to a full boil first. Also, to keep the noodles from sticking together, add a teaspoon of oil or butter.

2. Cook pasta at a continuous boil for even cooking, but make sure that you stir the pasta noodles continuously or they will stick to the bottom of the pan.

3. Don't rinse the pasta.

4. Don't let pasta stand in water or sit around -- serve immediately.

~Pasta

cooking time

dried pasta, el dente (to the tooth)

thin: 4-6 minutes

medium: 6-8 minutes

thick: 9-11 minutes

fresh pasta, el dente

average is 3 minutes

when it floats to the top, it’s done

stuffed pasta

when it floats, it’s done

HINT: Make 2 days worth of pasta at a time. To reheat the pasta for the next meal: bring the water to boiling, them immerse the (already cooked) pasta for 1 minute.

~Italian sauces

There are two basic white sauces throughout Italian cookery: balsamella, related to the French béchamel, for which a light roux (a combination of flour and a fat, often butter) is liquefied with hot milk; and salsa bianca, which uses stock in place of milk.

Everyone can make a basic tomato sauce and a ragu with meat or mushrooms. (Bologna is particularly famous for her meaty ragus which never top spaghetti.)

There are many other sauces: green sauces built from herbs, such as basil for pesto; nut sauces made from walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds; bread crumb sauces; giblet sauces; to mention only a few. Unlike French sauces, however, Italian sauces are rarely in danger of breaking. All sauce preparation calls upon the measurement, technique, and all-around philosophy of life known as quanto basto -- "the right amount." The philospher-cook must always know and use precisely quanto basto.

~Pasta Sauce

ingredients for quick sauces for pasta

start with...

olive oil, garlic/onion, black pepper

plus...

cheese (pecorino, romano, parmesan)

fresh basil leaves

fresh oregano

asparagus

olives

tomatoes, fresh, diced

tomato puree

mushrooms

white wine, cream, butter

crushed red pepper

add a protein…

chicken, shrimp, fish, sausage, pancetta,

ground meat (cook in same pan first)

eggs (can be cooked first or at the end)

~Quick and Easy Ideas

anytime meals:

grilled cheese (with fresh, sliced tomato)

scrambled eggs

add: cheese, herbs, meat, veg

soup (buy the box or from a deli)

toasted/grilled (fresh) bread with anything on it

salad with leftovers on top

add soup or salad to any protein for a meal

when in a pinch for time, check out the prepared foods that can be warmed at a deli or in a small market

don’t forget about yogurt, granola (usually sold in a bag),

~Simple Proteins

chicken, shrimp

1. dredge protein in bread crumbs

2. heat pan (gently, medium)

3. add olive oil (once around the pan)

4. spread oil about pan

5. put protein in pan

6. cook for ½ of cooking time (don’t peek)

7. turn over

[option: add veg / drop already-cooked pasta]

8. cook until cooked completely (cuts easily with the side of a fork; flesh is white)

alt protein:

beans – soak beans overnight, then cook for 1 hour on lowest setting or until tender.

~Salad Dressing

why buy an expensive bottle when you can make it fresh (and cheaper)

White-Wine Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon each fresh parsley and minced shallot (onion), and 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Red-Wine Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 small garlic clove, minced, and 1/3 C olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

~Notes, Ideas, Thoughts

Pack a lunch BOX

quick, easy, guaranteed food, $$

great way to use leftovers

salad + bread

antipasto + bread

Take your own bag(s) to the market/grocer or buy a reusable one on your first trip – this makes a nice takehome keepsake or gift

Don’t touch the produce. Greet the seller (bwon-jor-no), say please (per favore), point, hold up the number of fingers you want, say thank you (grazie) twice.

Save $$: Remember that uncooked foods are always less expensive than the ready cooked. Avoid items put in fancy packaging e.g. spices and nuts in small, glass jars.

~Notes, Ideas, Thoughts

When in Rome, do as the Romans – or Florentines…

Eat like an Italian, not an American

No ice, warm beer, and fizzy water

Water, not soft drinks

Eat like an Italian peasant. The basic American meal centers on meat; The Italian meal centers on fresh, local, in season ingredients.

salt your water not your pasta

Think/plan 3 days of meals at a time.

Sauce should to cling to the pasta,

not drown it.

For heavy sauces, use thick pasta.

For light or delicate sauces, use thin pasta.

~Oven Temperature Equiv.

European

U.S.

Gas Mark - C°

F°

1 - 140

275

2 - 150

300

3 - 170

325

4 - 180

350

5 - 190

375

6 - 200

400

7 - 220

425

8 - 230

450

9 - 250

475

~In Season (June)

strawberries

cherries, melons, apricots, figs?

tomatoes

peppers, eggplant

fresh borlotti beans, green beans, pole beans .

field greens

fennel-flavored salumi, pecorino cheese

fava beans

zucchini flowers

~Numbers

helpful in telling the market owner how many of something you’d like

uno (OO|noh), due (DOO|eh), tre (treh), quattro (QWAH|troh), cinque (CHEEN|kweh),

sei (say), sette (SEHT|teh), otto (AWT|toh), nove (NOH|veh), dieci (dee|EH|chee).

~Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients: 170g/6oz spaghetti (or other pasta), 250g/8oz ground beef (preferably round steak), 1 medium sized onion, 1 carrot, 1 tin chopped tomatoes (or two cups fresh tomatoes, chopped), teaspoon dried herbs (mixed herbs, oregano, or basil), half cup red wine (optional)

Brown the ground beef in a frying pan. Set aside.

Fry the onion and carrot on a medium heat until soft.

Add the tomatoes, wine (optional), herbs, and the ground beef.

Bring to the bubble, then simmer for 15 minutes.

While the other ingredients are simmering, boil the spaghetti until al dente,

Drain the spaghetti and serve with the Bolognese sauce.

~Pasta with Feta Cheese (v)

Ingredients: 170g/6oz pasta, 85g/3oz feta cheese, 16 cherry tomatoes, handful fresh basil (or teaspoon dried oregano), 3 tablespoons whole olives, half cup olive oil (preferably extra virgin)

Boil the pasta until al dente.

Drain the pasta and add the feta cheese, tomatoes, basil or oregano, olives, and olive oil.

Mix well and serve.

Note: Cherry tomatoes are best, but you can use larger tomatoes if you slice them. You can also add tinned tuna or pine nuts.

~Almond Chicken

Ingredients: 2 breasts chicken (or 4 chicken thighs), 2 medium sized onions, 2 handfuls green beans, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, handful whole or sliced almonds

Slice the chicken and brown in a frying pan. Set the chicken aside.

Fry the onions on a medium heat until soft.

Add the green beans, chicken, soy sauce, and a drizzle of honey.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the almonds and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread, pasta, or rice.

Note You can substitute red or green peppers, sliced courgette (zucchini), or carrot for the green beans.

~Spaghetti with Pesto Sauce - Spaghetti al Pesto

The word pesto derives from pestare, to step on or mash, and therefore can be applied to a number of different sauces. However, to an Italian the word pesto by itself means the classic Ligurian summer sauce made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, and cheese.

If you have a marble mortar and wish to use it -- put the salt, garlic, nutmeats and basil in it and grind the mixture, firmly crushing the ingredients against the sides of the mortar, rather than striking sharp blows with the pestle. When the mixture is ground, add the cheese, a bit at a time, continuing to grind, and when it is all worked in, add the oil in a slow stream, stirring with a wooden spatula. The resulting pesto should be smooth and creamy.

If you are using a food processor instead, chop the garlic, basil, nutmeats, and salt, being careful not to let the mixture liquefy, then transfer it to a bowl and stir in the grated cheese and the oil.

Cook a pound of pasta in lightly salted water, and just before you drain it stir two tablespoons of hot water into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the pasta and serve.

*these cards come from personal notes from my own clippings and cookbooks. I have not re-researched their sources, but am more than happy to credit the originator of any of the items.