Questions with this tag should be about traditional ingredients, preparations or dishes from Italy - such as focaccia, risotto or tiramisu. Questions about ingredients common to Italian style cooking, but which aren't about a specific Italian dish, should not use this tag.
1
vote
5answers
540 views
How to create thick, hearty garlic marinara sauce?
I've been searching online for a recipe for a robust garlic marinara sauce to no avail. Does anyone have any tips on how to make this kind of thick, hearty sauce from scratch?
This is what I've tried ...
22
votes
7answers
9k views
How do cooks prepare risotto in a restaurant?
I'm not looking for a Risotto recipe. I make a pretty nice risotto, thank you very much.
But, making a risotto takes about 20 minutes. It seems unreasonable to me that a cook would start from ...
8
votes
9answers
3k views
Are there any techniques to “cheat” at cooking a risotto?
Cooking a risotto takes a fair amount of attention and work, adding stock a ladle at a time with almost constant stirring. The chemical process behind this makes sense to me. Are there any ways to ...
3
votes
6answers
603 views
How to thicken marinara sauce?
Here's what I'm using:
16oz crushed tomatoes
1 head of garlic
1/2 cup red wine
Parmesan cheese
Basil
Oregano
Salt
1/4 cup olive oil
I start by lightly cooking the garlic cloves in olive oil until ...
16
votes
8answers
7k views
What can be used as a substitute for tomato sauce in typical italian dishes?
I have a friend that has developed an allergy or sensitivity of some kind to tomato sauce in foods. She has been craving pizza, pasta, and lasagna for a while now and I've been searching for a way to ...
5
votes
3answers
293 views
When to add fresh basil to a tomato sauce?
Is it better to add fresh basil to a tomato sauce and then let it cook for say, 10 mins, or wait till the end and add just before serving?
4
votes
1answer
214 views
what makes red tomato sauce turn orange in colour?
I have noticed that tomato sauce (having started with deep red tomatoes) can turn orange.
The colour change isn't from mixing in an ingredient of different colour such as cream. It seems to occur in ...
3
votes
3answers
196 views
Looking for an Italian cheese similar/identical to the French Brie
I am looking for a an Italian cheese that I can use as substitute to Brie.
It should have the same consistency and creaminess, as well as delicate flavour.
Any suggestion?
EDIT: This question could ...
9
votes
2answers
197 views
What varities of chili peppers are most commonly used in Italy
I've been reading some Italian (written in Italian, by Italians) cook books and web sites and I find that many recipes call for peperoncini. I thought I knew what these are, but according to this ...
8
votes
8answers
633 views
How to make the best Genovese pesto? [closed]
What's your recipe and technique for the best Genovese Pesto?
I use basil, paremsan, garlic, pine nuts (very lightly toasted first), olive oil (extra virgin) and I like a little lemon juice too. I ...
2
votes
2answers
127 views
What accounts for the softer texture and sharper flavor of Italian ice creams?
I know that Italian ice cream (home made, most of all) doesn't use any stabilizers or gum ingredients.
How can they be made soft, and agreeable to taste?
7
votes
4answers
245 views
How should I incorporate oil into focaccia?
Last weekend, I tried making focaccia for the first time. I tried two recipes at once, the one from The Bread Baker's Apprentice and a traditional Genovese focaccia recipe modified for quick-rise (I ...
11
votes
3answers
28k views
What's the difference between a Stromboli and a Calzone?
On the east coast Italian restaurants (or pizza shops) sometimes offer both Strombolis and Calzones. Sometimes it seems that Calzones are a 'type' of Stromboli, because the menu has a single Calzone ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
When making risotto, why fry the rice?
When making risotto one of the first steps is to saute the rice in some oil for a few minutes (or until the rice is translucent).
What is happening when the rice is fried? What effect does this ...
16
votes
9answers
5k views
Fish and cheese: An unbreakable rule?
I always wondered about this seemingly static rule:
Never add cheese (especially, but not limited to parmigiano reggiano) to a dish with fish.
Italians would never, ever add parmigiano ...
7
votes
6answers
1k views
Ingredients or techniques to a more solid lasagna
What are the crucial ingredients or cooking techniques to a more solid, or "brick" like lasagna? Most lasagna I've seen tends to get a bit sloppy in the pan as it's being dished out but I have seen ...
6
votes
1answer
173 views
What are techniques to make homemade pasta without a pasta machine?
I would like to try making homemade pasta, but my significant other won't let me buy a pasta machine. It's understandable, they are expensive. What are good techniques to make homemade pasta without a ...
41
votes
25answers
38k views
In a tomato sauce recipe, how can I cut the acidity?
It seems that every time I make a tomato sauce for pasta, the sauce is a little bit too acid for my taste. I've tried using sugar or sodium bicarbonate, but I'm not satisfied with the results.
1
vote
1answer
73 views
What dishes are paired with agnolini in Mantuan cuisine?
I am preparing agnolini alla mantovana and I would like to pair the dish with a second course and side in classic Mantuan style.
source
Mantuan cuisine is famous for its "set meals".
What are the ...
8
votes
2answers
605 views
What is the ideal coffee temperature for tiramisu?
When making tiramisu, I usually make a fresh batch of strong coffee. I just don't know how long to wait to use the coffee (for dipping the cookies).
In my opinion, room temperature coffee tastes ...
18
votes
5answers
2k views
What is this Italian Cookie called?
I'm looking for a recipe for an Italian cookie that I remember having as a child. The cookie is shaped like a gnocchi or cavatelli but is much bigger, about 1.5 inches long and slightly larger than a ...
4
votes
5answers
3k views
What should I do with a just-baked lasanga?
I'm a complete cooking newbie. I just made a lasanga from a recipe - or something that looks like a lasanga. However, it will probably only be eaten 3-4 hours from now. What should I do with it in the ...
4
votes
1answer
103 views
What is the name of this Venetian pastry?
I was recently in Venice and relaxed my vegan lifestyle to enjoy a local pastry. It was green, pistachio flavored and filled with almonds. It looked something like this (mine did not have chocolate):
...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the difference between tomato puree, paste and sauce?
I was looking for a recipe for an Italian tomato sauce when I came across an old cookbook from an American Creole Chef I like, but I'm really confused about the terminology he uses for some of the ...
1
vote
4answers
486 views
What is the name for a round flaky pastry that has a chocolate cream filling in the middle
I'm trying to make a dessert I had in Palermo, Sicily. I wanted to find a recipe for it online, but I can't remember the name of it now. I know it's fairly common, but googling didn't help. It's ...
3
votes
3answers
975 views
Counter to bitterness in soup
My minestrone turned out too bitter. How can I counter it? The soup contains tomatoes, pasta, Savoy cabbage, celery, carrots, burnt sautéed garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
Sugar seems to be ...
4
votes
3answers
109 views
Is “swimming in broth” a common cooking technique for pasta and broccoli rabe?
In two "old school" Italian restaurants in New York, USA, I've ordered penne with sausage and broccoli rabe. Both times the pasta was served with a good 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid in the bottom of the ...
3
votes
3answers
448 views
Is there a difference between coca, focaccia and pizza?
I've made a number of pizza's and coca's lately and I thought about making a focaccia... When reading about coca, focaccia was mentioned, and when reading about focaccia, pizza was mentioned.
I have ...
1
vote
3answers
216 views
What should I do with candied citron?
My inlaws just gave me a gift of candied whole citron (not just the peel) that they picked up from southern Italy. It was very thoughtful and just in time for Sukkot!
However, I'm just not sure ...
3
votes
3answers
5k views
What is the best substitute for Provolone?
Having recently bought the Frankies Spuntino Cookbook I want to have a go at making braciola. The recipe calls for pork steaks to be stuffed with pecorino romano and provolone.
However, in the UK ...
2
votes
2answers
880 views
What kind of herbs are common in Italian dishes?
Yesterday I tried to follow a pasta recipe that called for tarragon. Since I didn't have this herb, I sustituted basil.
For convenience, I may try to plant those commonly needed herbs myself so I ...
8
votes
4answers
4k views
Why is there a watery run-off after cooking my bolognese?
It's a fairly standard recipe with passata and wine, simmering on a low heat for a couple of hours. After stirring and putting the bolognese onto the pasta, after a couple of minutes the sauce ...
0
votes
3answers
4k views
Can I store raw gnocchi dough in the fridge?
I made gnocchi dough earlier this evening. It was my first time, so I took a bit of dough and made myself some dinner with it. It was great.
But I still have some dough left over. Since it's quite ...
11
votes
8answers
2k views
Non-cow's milk replacement for Parmesan cheese in Genovese pesto
My family loves Genovese pesto and we'd started making our own (with varied success). One of our number has been diagnosed as intolerant to cow's milk. This rules out pretty much all shop-bought ...
5
votes
4answers
395 views
Spaghetti sauce consistency / coating noodles
I made my home made spaghetti sauce this weekend, which I've been making for several years. As always, the flavor turned out great, so I don't want to change my recipe too much. However, I do have ...
13
votes
5answers
8k views
How to prevent overcooking of eggs in Carbonara sauce?
Carbonara can be absolutely delicicious if everthing goes perfectly; but it can also be tasteless, chewy and lumpy, if the egg is overcooked. Does anyone have what they regard as a fool proof method ...
26
votes
11answers
2k views
How should I prepare Risotto
I've been watching a lot of Hells Kitchen, and one of the signature dishes that Chef Ramsay has the chefs prepare is Risotto. This seems like a simple enough dish but often times the seasoned chefs ...
10
votes
4answers
596 views
How to make - succulent - Bruschetta?
What ingredients do you need, and what steps to perform to make Bruschetta?
While on honeymoon in Tuscany we got bruschetta with chopped tomato and herb topping, on crusty bread (I think there was ...
11
votes
11answers
6k views
What vegetarian substitute for prosciutto could I use in Carbonara?
Instead of prosciutto, I used capers to try and maintain the salty aspect. It worked ok, but something about the capers and cheese didn't seem right. Any other suggestions?
Also, to round out the ...
5
votes
8answers
13k views
Can I replace pine nuts with other nuts in a pesto sauce recipe? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is a good pine nut substitute for pesto?
Pine nuts are very expensive here. I'm wondering if I can substitute any of the following:
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
...
5
votes
1answer
101 views
How to make a pesto in a mortar?
When using an immersion blender, I throw all ingredients into the cup and puree everything smooth. But it looks like the mortar isn't that easy. I can think of four different techniques:
throw in ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Why do stuffed shells recipes include eggs?
I'm making stuffed shells, but I don't have any eggs. All the recipes I can find call for one or two eggs. What is the reason and can I get away without eggs?
2
votes
3answers
187 views
Preparing Salsa Verde fast and fresh
I want to make batches of Salsa Verde* fast and fresh, 8 to 12 serves at a time
It normally requires a large amount of knife work to get everything finely chopped and crushed. How can I speed up this ...
3
votes
4answers
3k views
Does tiramisu firm up in the fridge?
I am making my first tiramisu, using this recipe from Gourmet (with high ratings on Epicurious). My mascarpone mixture looks terribly soft to me.
As per recipe, I foamed 4 yolks with 80 ml sherry (I ...
1
vote
2answers
256 views
What factors do I need to consider to figure out if a particular set of toppings will work well on risotto?
Sometimes, I like to experiment with the ingredients to use as toppings for risotto.
In order to avoid bad results, what should I consider when I choose the ingredients to use as toppings for ...
5
votes
6answers
907 views
What ingredients can be added to pasta to give a different color?
I've experimented with fresh pasta, using the following ingredients to color it:
Beetroot puree
Carrot puree
Cocoa powder
The first two were successful, the cocoa poweder resulted in a very ...
1
vote
1answer
163 views
Why is my first polenta not easy to cut?
I've cooked my first polenta.
it was too dampish, without shape, but also not easily sectile: it couldnt be easily cut.
What should I do better next time?
6
votes
2answers
8k views
Is 'Pizza yeast' any different than normal baking yeast?
A friend (Italian) mentioned that she uses 'Pizza Yeast' for making pizza, and one can't use normal yeast or it'll "grow too much".. I looked around the internet for "Pizza yeast" and all I found was ...
2
votes
4answers
522 views
Scaling up a risotto recipe x4. Things to consider?
I am making risotto for a Christmas dinner, serving 20 people.
I plan to multiple the recipe by 3 or 4x.
Since risotto is a challenging dish at the normal scale, how can I ensure getting good results ...
1
vote
3answers
4k views
How long will Tiramisú made with raw egg keep?
Tiramisú tastes better the longer is kept. But it is made with raw eggs, so there must be a limit to how long you can keep it for without risking making people ill. What would you say is the min/max ...
