Читать книгу Italian Recipes For Dummies - Amy Riolo - Страница 27

When you’re ready to cook, Chapters 6 through 20 are where to turn. From appetizers to sauces, pasta, risotto, soups, gnocchi, meat, fish, poultry, and eggs, you learn the genuine Italian approach to all ingredients. Whether you’re preparing a fruit and cheese platter, a decadent dessert, a special occasion baked good, bread, pizza, or focaccia, you can find a variety of recipes to take you from morning to night, all year long.

It’s no mistake that I saved the recipes for last. Although you may be eager to dive in to cooking, recipes are only one component of Italian cuisine. By taking a bit of time to familiarize yourself with the philosophy behind the food, you’ll have a much more meaningful (and fun) time in the kitchen and at the table.

As you embark on your Italian cuisine journey, keep in mind these ideas and traditions:

 Take your time, and enjoy the process: One of the biggest secrets to the Italian kitchen is the pleasure that people take in preparing the food. People actually look forward to making cherished recipes for themselves and their loved ones when they can. A new crop, the arrival of the first berries of spring, or foraging mushrooms in the fall can all be excuses to create something sensational. If you head to the kitchen begrudgingly to cook Italian food, you will never be successful. Preparing true Italian food is work, but it is a labor of love. The first step to being a good cook is adopting this mentality.

 Read through the recipe, and adjust if needed (to use more seasonal ingredients, for example); Italian recipes aren’t set in stone: In fact, making the proper substitutions is a typically Italian thing to do!

 Gather the kitchen tools and ingredients you need ahead of time to help ensure a relaxed experience: No one wants to be harried in the kitchen. Traditionally, Italian kitchens weren’t set up like design studios; they were functioning laboratories with pots hanging from racks and tools out for easy access (like a restaurant). If your equipment is neatly tucked away, locating it, along with your ingredients, prior to cooking will save time and help you to enjoy the cooking process.

 Share your labor of love: Getting others involved in the cooking process, eating with others, or sharing your creations helps to make the experience more pleasurable, healthful, and worthwhile.