Pasta sauce. Think marinara (tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, and basil; this is Italy’s most famous sauce); Pomodoro (Italian for “tomato,” this sauce uses the same ingredients as marinara but is a thicker, smoother sauce); bolognese (meat like pancetta, beef, and lamb are simmered in a tomato and wine sauce); and pesto (basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and grated parmesan cheese are blended together into a green sauce served over pasta, fish, or spread on bread).

Fresh tomatoes. Brought to Italy in the sixteenth century, Italians first thought tomatoes were poisonous. Now they are the heart of Italian cuisine.

Oregano. Dried oregano leaves add an earthy flavor to marinara sauce, pizza, salad dressing, or grilled meats.

Capers. “Capperi” are pickled flower buds from the Flinders rose bush. These small, salty green orbs are a popular ingredient in Mediterranean dishes like chicken piccata and puttanesca sauce.

Porcini mushrooms. In Italy, porcini mushrooms are found under pine and oak trees, especially in Tuscany. Porcinis, either fresh or dried, are added to sauces cooked in risotto, or simmered in a wine sauce to add texture to a dish.

Basil. Basil is a fragrant green herb with a smokey, minty taste, and the most popular herb in Italian cooking. Basil is often used in tomato sauce, in Caprese salad, and is the main ingredient in pesto sauce.

Italian cheese. Ancient Romans created varieties of cheese by aging and smoking them. Hard cheeses have a grainy texture and are shaved over salads or grated over pasta. Popular varieties include Parmigiano-Reggiano from Parma in the Emilia-Romagna region and Grana Padano from northern Italy. Pecorino are cheeses made from sheep’s milk. A soft cheese like mozzarella is used to melt over meals, like lasagna and pizza.

Red wine, white wine. To many, Italy is practically synonymous with wine. Wine has certainly been part of Italian culture at least since the peninsula was colonized by the Ancient Greeks—and thousands of years even before that if recent research is to be believed. Italians drink wine and also use it to simmer meat dishes and add another layer of flavor to a red sauce. 

To be Continued.....