Cooking tips...italian?

DaveyBoy · 04-07-2007, 07:28 AM

Well i'm wanting to try and develop a more 'cultured' palate - all i ever seem to eat is lasagne or standard pasta with grilled chicken. I love italian food and it's by far my favourite in restaurants etc. but at home i'm growing tired of my bore-fest of meals.

Can somebody suggest an easy-to-cook/difficult-to-ruin italian dish to make please?

**kristeejo** · 04-07-2007, 09:02 AM

make it a one-night stand - don't ever get married to one and you'll be good to go!

Linda in NY · 04-07-2007, 10:17 AM

Hey even though I don't resemble that remark, my maiden name ended in a vowel and was very Italian. Even my Dads parents didn't speak any English !

Davey-check out italian cooking in searches there are tons of sites with recipes, I don't really use recipes, just a pinch of this and dash of that, experiment and you'll be fine.

chicgeek · 04-07-2007, 01:13 PM

Oil and pesto-based pasta are nice ways to shake up the italian fare.

Kitchen Designer · 04-07-2007, 05:06 PM

Italian Bruschetta

1. Get a red and white chequered table cloth and put it on your dining table.

2. Download 'That's Amore' by Dean Martin and crank up the stereo.

3. Take a bread roll and cut it in half and toast it. Rub a garlic clove on the toasted bread roll. Get a tomato and remove the skin and seeds and dice the tomato finely. Put the tomato in a bowl and add some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and finely chopped basil leaves and mix it up. Put it back on the toasted bread roll and enjoy.

Ciao

**G10** · 04-08-2007, 12:13 AM

Cook some spaghetti in and add a little oregano, oil and a little veg stock to the water as it is cooking. - The veg stock flavours will absorb into the spaghetti as it cooks and expands.

As the spaghetti is nearing completion, in another pan, warm up some oil, finely chopped garlic, a little dried oregano, cracked black pepper and a little fresh chilli.

Drain the pasta and then pour the garlic, oil, chilli etc onto the spaghetti.

Mix in and there you have it, a variation on spaghetti garlic and oil dish with a little kick.

Oh yeah, a little sprinkling of parmesan on the top will also change the flavour

ewomack · 04-08-2007, 12:19 AM

Here's my ZESTY Italian night recipie!!!

1. Obtain saucepan
2. Obtain stiff yellow sticks (pasta - read box)
3. Put stiff yellow sticks in saucepan
4. Fill saucepan with water
5. Boil water in saucepan (make sure the sticks are still in the pan)
6. Wait
7. While waiting, open jar labeled "Prego" (that's a BONA FIDE Italian word!!!)
8. Pour sumptuous amounts of "Prego" into microwave safe bowl
9. Put bowl in microwave for about 2 minutes
10. Stir yellow sticks in boiling water so parts of them don't remain stiff.
11. When done, blend now rubbery sticks with microwaved Prego
12. Pour prodigious amounts onto plates.

Perform these culinary stunts and your date WILL talk about you with her friends... REALLY!!!!

chicgeek · 04-08-2007, 06:53 AM

Cappuccinos are a nice very italian way to start off the night, or (almost) end it off. If you have a machine, cool. If not, you can get a similar effect with a little $15 frother.

mothproof · 04-09-2007, 06:58 AM

most of the times, when im trying to delude myself im eating italian, i just use olive oil and sprinkle dried basil.

self-delusion works

turifungia · 04-09-2007, 10:56 PM

From a really italian (i live in Sicily) one of my favourite, summer foods:

Insalata di Pasta fredda (for 8-10)

500g fresh tomatoes,
8 tablespoons dried chives
2-4 teaspoons dried oregano
6 tablespoons minced fresh basil
500g mozzarella cheese, cubed
12 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
450-500 g short pasta (if you like also chilli short pasta)
Ricotta salata (if you can buy in italian shop) or Parmigiano Reggiano

Prepare the dressing pasta 1-2 hours and put all the ingredients (not pasta!) in a large bowl, with salt (and chill if you like) for at least 1 hour.
Cook pasta "al dente", drain it in the colander and run under cold water to stop cooking.
Mix pasta and dressing
Let chill at least 2 hours before serving and to dust with ricotta salata or parmigiano reggiano

You can add also fried eggplants over and decore with basil

Buon Appetito

(hope you understand, my english it's very bad)

suzjor · 04-10-2007, 05:05 AM

My favorite Italian meal that I make takes me 2 hours. But I LOVE to cook so I will look to see if I can find any quick and tasty recipes for you.

chicgeek · 04-10-2007, 11:01 AM

You should branch out to Indian. Semi-spciy butter chicken with naan and basmati is wonnnnnderful.

contextual staff · 04-10-2007, 05:03 PM

The best way to make any Italian dish taste fantastic is to add half a bottle of red wine to any meaty dishes and half a bottle of whit wine to any creamy dishes. Changes the taste dramatically.

DaveyBoy · 04-11-2007, 05:41 PM

Thanks for suggestions, i'll be busy

Re. above - I will need to find a meat yet creamy dish so i can use both red and white together

masterofthe · 04-14-2007, 05:48 PM

yes!!!

i heard a lot of great and delicious foods from Italy and my sister and parents just got off from and arrived here in Italy two weeks ago and they cooked food for us. Italian food that is and it's really really good pasta and home made pizza. with grilled chicken. ohhh lalala