L'amore Italian Restaurant

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10 Italian Cooking Terms Everyone Should Know

 

Do you love Italian food? If so, you aren’t alone – after all, this is one of the most well-known cooking styles from around the globe.

However, there are some terms and phrases that are a bit confusing if you aren’t a chef. As a result, it may be beneficial to get to know some of the most common terms used in Italian cooking.

Not only will it help you with your own recipes, but also make ordering Italian food much easier.

Here are 10 Italian Cooking Terms that you’ll want to know:

1. Al Dente

The literal definition is “to the tooth.” Most commonly heard when cooking pasta, al dente means the pasta, after being cooked, should have “bite” left to it. The term is also used for cooking veggies, another ingredient that should not be overcooked.

2. Cacciatore

In Italian, the word means hunter. For recipes, such as pollo alla cacciatore, it means “hunter-style chicken.” In most cases, dishes including cacciatore are prepared with wine, herbs, peppers, tomatoes and onions.

3. Antipasti

This word means appetizers or starters. Antipasti can consist of cured meats, cheeses, olives and usually, bruschetta.

4. Casalinga

The Italian translation of Casalinga is housewife. However, this also refers to food that is homemade.

5. Peperone

Don’t confuse this term with the popular pizza topping pepperoni. Peperone refers to peppers. If you have just one pepper, it is a pepe.

6. Ceci

While this is a small word, it has a big meaning. In fact, if you see ceci on a menu, it means chickpeas or garbanzo beans. This is often seen in various soups and pasta dishes.

7. Arancini

This word means “little orange.” It is the name of the delicious risotto balls that are deep fried. Traditionally, these are stuffed full of peas, ragu and mozzarella; however, they can be made with all sorts of combinations.

8. Ribollita

Ribollita is a Tuscan soup that always includes some type of leftover bread, beans and an array of vegetables. The literal translation of this word is “reboiled.”

9. Panzanella

While this word comes from Tuscany, it is a dish that is enjoyed throughout Italy. Panzanella is a special type of salad, made out of tomatoes and toasted bread.

10. Bianca

In English, Bianca means white. You may see the word on menus or in recipes referencing pizza. In most cases, pizza Bianca will be tipped with parmesan cheese, but doesn’t include pasta or tomato sauce.

Now that you have brushed up on your Italian food terminology, you are ready to embark on a “tour of Italy,” enjoying all the delicious dishes this country offers.

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Tips for Making the Perfect Al Dente Pasta

How many times each week are you eating pasta?

If you are like other people throughout the country, this is likely a staple in your diet.

It’s easy, quick and filling. Also, you can prepare it a number of ways. However, to cook the perfect pasta, you have to know how to cook something al dente.

This means that it is still firm to the bite, but delicious and perfect for multiple meals a week. Al dente means the pasta isn’t hard, chalky, too soft, etc. After all, there isn’t anything quite as bad as overcooked pasta – it will ruin the entire meal.

Some tips to help you cook perfect al dente pasta can be found here.

The Al Dente Pasta Preparation

One of the biggest pasta “fouls” is just grabbing a pot, filling it with water, and dumping pasta in before the water even boils. Not only that but using a pot that is too small for the past you are cooking.

To make perfect al dente pasta, you need to start with a large pot so that your pasta can move freely. A general rule of thumb to follow is to use five to six quarts of water per pound of pasta you are cooking.

Boil the water. Don’t try to jump ahead. You need to make sure the water is at a hard boil, at which point you will add approximately two tablespoons of salt. Once the salt is added, add your pasta and allow the water to reach a hard boil once again.

General Tips for Cooking

When you add the pasta, you can add a lid to the pot to help it reach a boil faster; however, you should remove it as soon as it begins to boil again. This will prevent it from boiling over.

Another tip you can use is to stir the pasta constantly for the initial one to two minutes – but just the initial few minutes. This will help prevent sticking.

When the cooking process is done, you should taste your pasta. It should have an al dente bite if you cooked it properly. If the pasta is undercooked it will have a chalky and stiff center, but if it is overcooked, the noodles are going to be soggy and limp.

What You Should Never Do When Cooking Pasta

When cooking pasta, if you want to make sure it reaches that al dente cooked level, make sure to avoid doing the following things:

  • Never add oil
  • Don’t wait for the pasta to completely cool to add the sauce
  • Don’t rinse the pasta unless you are making a cold dish

Now you have the knowledge to make perfectly al dente pasta every time. You will find that once you get the hang of what to do, it is actually easy to achieve this cooked perfection each time you make pasta.

 

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5 Surprising Health Benefits of Olive Oil

When you begin researching information about different fats and their role in your diet, you will find quite a bit of conflicting information. However, almost everyone can agree that olive oil – especially extra virgin olive oil – is a substance that is actually good for you.  That’s great news because that means you can drizzle it on your salad and use it to fry your chicken, without the guilt. Read on to discover the top five health benefits of olive oil that you probably didn’t already know.

1. It’s Full of Antioxidants 

Extra virgin olive oil is a favorite for many recipes because it is a nutritious ingredient. In addition to being a good fatty acid, it is also full of modest amounts of both vitamins K and E. However, what is even better is that olive oil is full of antioxidants. These antioxidants are able to help fight off serious diseases and cases of inflammation. Antioxidants also help to prevent the cholesterol present in your blood from getting oxidized, which in turn helps prevent heart disease.

2. It Offers Impressive Anti-Inflammatory Properties 

Many experts believe that a leading driver of a number of diseases is chronic inflammation. This includes serious diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, obesity, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome and even cardiovascular disease. Olive oil has been proven to help reduce cases of inflammation. In fact, there are some studies that show that the antioxidants in olive oil can inhibit some of the proteins and genes that cause inflammation, begin with.

3. Prevent and Protect Against Heart Disease 

The most common cause of death in the world is heart disease. However, it is a rare occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea region. When interest in this peaked, people began extensively researching this diet.  What they found was that the key ingredient of the Mediterranean diet is extra virgin olive oil. When consumed, it helps lower your blood pressure and protects against oxidation of LDL particles, which helps prevent heart disease.

4. It May Help Fight Alzheimer’s Disease 

This is considered the most common neurodegenerative disease in the entire world. A key feature of this disorder is the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaque in brain cells. In mice, a study has shown that olive oil helps to remove this plaque from brain cells. While this is not scientifically confirmed, it is believed that olive oil may help to prevent Alzheimer’s.

5. Pain Relief for Rheumatoid Arthritis 

This condition is characterized by painful and deformed joints. According to research, olive oil may help inflammatory markers while reducing the oxidative stress in those suffering from this condition. It has shown to be especially beneficial when it is combined with fish oil.

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5 Traditional Foods to Have at an Italian Wedding

If you have plans to attend an Italian wedding, you are in for a real treat when it comes to the food selection. That’s because there really is nothing quite as delicious as authentic Italian fare.  Keep in mind, you won’t experience real Italian cooking just anywhere, but you can feel confident that when attending the nuptials of a couple where at least one of them is Italian, you are going to encounter a couple of the dishes on this list.

Bruschetta

This dish is made of thick slices of bread, which have been grilled. After grilling, the bread is rubbed with garlic and has olive oil drizzled over it. In some cases, the bread is then topped with herbs and tomatoes. For most purposes, this is served as an appetizer and is the ideal way to provide snacks for guests attending a cocktail hour.

Ravioli

Another dish that is commonly served at Italian weddings is ravioli. This is a type of dumpling that is made by inserting a filling of your choice (cheese, meat, etc.) between two thin layers of pasta dough. While ravioli can be served alone, it is often served with either pasta sauce or broth. This is how ravioli originated as a type of traditional Italian dish.

Italian Wedding Soup

Traditional Italian wedding soup is made with green vegetables, typically cabbage, spinach, kale, lettuce and/or escarole. Meat is also added, with the most common types being sausage that contains parmesan cheese and Italian parsley and meatballs, and then it is all cooked in a chicken-based broth.

Chicken Dish

Chicken is one of the most popular main dishes for Italian wedding receptions. Some options include spaghetti with roasted peppers and chicken, chicken parmesan, chicken Sorrento and chicken piccata pasta. Each of these are considered traditional Italian dishes and are often seen at Italian weddings.

Hot Berry Tarts 

When it comes to dessert, the Italians definitely do it right. Hot berry tarts are a popular wedding desert filled with delicious fresh fruit and all the traditional pastry makings. It is a great addition to a summer wedding and something all the guests are sure to love, whether they’re Italian or not.

Regardless of if you are planning an Italian wedding, or just have plans to attend one in the near future, you are definitely in for a culinary treat! The dishes highlighted here are just a few of the things you are sure to experience at this event.

You don’t have to attend an Italian wedding to have great Italian food. Stop by L’Amore for a little taste of Italy.

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Phoenix , AZ 85016
Phone: 602.381.3159

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Credit for most photos: Kay W. Eskridge: Images By Kay

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