HOW TO COOK ITALIAN | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

BASIC TECHNIQUES

COOKING PASTA: Pasta should be cooked in a generous amount of boiling water. It is not necessary to add oil to prevent it from sticking. Simply follow these rules: Use at least four quarts of water for one pound of pasta, stir as soon as the pasta goes in and periodically while it is cooking, and make sure the water is always at a rolling boil. Drain the pasta when it's al dente (firm and chewy but not crunchy), and never rinse it. Toss with the sauce right away to prevent it from sticking, and allow it to absorb as much flavor from the sauce as possible.

PAN ROASTING: Until not too long ago, many Italian kitchens did not have ovens, so most cooking is done over the stove. Meats are more often pan-roasted than oven-roasted. Most recipes that involve roasting follow a basic technique: Meat is first browned in either olive oil or butter, and a cooking liquid (usually a dry white or red wine) is added to the pan. Once the alcohol has evaporated and the tasty brown bits have been loosened from the bottom of the pan, the heat is lowered, and the meat cooks with a cover slightly ajar until it is very tender.

DRESSING AN ITALIAN SALAD: According to an Italian proverb, it takes four people to dress a salad well: a wise person for the salt, a generous person for the extra-virgin olive oil, a stingy person for the red wine vinegar, and a patient person to toss it all together. (Sometimes the proverb calls for a wealthy person adding balsamic vinegar.)

SAUTÉING: The purpose of sautéing is to intensify and draw out flavor. Unlike most recipes that tell you to heat the oil until hot, with Italian cooking you want the onions and garlic, for example, to cook very slowly. Not only does this minimizes the chances of burning the garlic, but you'll also get a richer flavor with a slower, more patient approach.

THE ITALIAN PANTRY High-quality ingredients are essential to Italian cooking - the better your olive oil, tomatoes, and cheese, the better these simple dishes will be. OLIVE OIL: One of the essential ingredients of Italian cooking, olive oil is used not simply as a cooking oil but for the flavor it adds to a dish. For this reason, it's important to use only extra-virgin olive oil - it has the most flavor. TOMATOES: When fresh, ripe tomatoes are not available, use good canned tomatoes (unless the recipe specifically calls for fresh). Choose whole, peeled tomatoes rather than chopped or crushed. Use imported Italian San Marzano tomatoes if you can find them; they're the best.

GARLIC: Use garlic judiciously so it's not an overwhelming presence.

PASTA: Use pasta imported from Italy. Premium brands of artisanal production will have a satisfying texture and the subtle flavor of semolina flour. For egg pasta, avoid the "fresh" pasta sold in refrigerated cases. Either use homemade or buy the dried noodles packaged in nests.

RICE: Arborio is the most common rice used in making risotto, but other varieties - such as Carnaroli or Vialone Nano - which are just now becoming available in America, are perhaps even better. One characteristic they all share is a translucent, starchy exterior that melts away in cooking to give risotto its distinctive creamy consistency.

DRIED PORCINI MUSHROOMS: Look for packages that have large slices of whole mushrooms. They add a wonderful rich flavor to risottos, pasta sauces, and stews, and can infuse cultivated white mushrooms with their robust flavor.

PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO: Only cheese that is produced in a limited area surrounding Parma according to strict guidelines may be sold as Parmigiano-Reggiano. It's a cheese of incomparable flavor, texture, and richness that make it not only an excellent grating cheese but also one of the world's great table cheeses.

ALL THINGS ITALIAN

For more information on products and Italian cooking, we recommend the following:

Every Night Italian (Scribner, 2000) by Giuliano Hazan. For authentic Italian meals made from ingredients in your supermarket. Recipes are simple and quick.

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Knopf, 1992) by Marcella Hazan. A classic for authentic fare by the doyenne of Italian cuisine.

The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food (William Morrow, 1992) by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Through anecdotes and talks with peasants, farmers, and townspeople, Kasper makes you feel as if you're part of the family. Authentic, doable recipes for regional home cooking.

Italy For the Gourmet Traveler (Little, Brown, 1996) by Fred Plotkin. From Umbria to Apulia, this in-depth guide takes you on a backroads tour of the markets, restaurants, and shops.

http://esperya.com/usa. This Web site has an incredible selection of specialty products, from aged balsamic vinegar to Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

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