Widely regarded as one of the world’s most delectable cuisines, traditional Italian food is hard to beat. For many, its true beauty lies in its accessibility. Known as “cucina povera”, or “the cooking of the poor”, Italian cuisine developed hundreds of years ago, in Italy’s working class communities. Faced with limited money and resources, people would cook using ingredients they could either grow, or forage. As such, Italian food remains a popular cuisine among home cooks to this day.
Whether you prefer to cook your favourite Italian dishes over the stovetop or in a Wood Fired Pizza Oven, Ooni Karu, here are three fail-safe Italian recipes to try at home, which everyone is bound to love.
Pizza
Probably one of the most iconic Italian foods of all, pizza is synonymous with Italy, although variations of pizza are just as popular throughout the whole world, too.
To make your own pizza ‘from scratch’ at home, you’ll need to start by making your dough. Pizza dough is made using flour, water, and yeast, plus a little salt for seasoning. Mix the yeast with warm water to activate it and then add the salt, followed by the flour. Mix everything together in a bowl, first with a spoon and then by hand. Then, place the dough ball onto a flat surface and knead for 10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with clingfilm, and allow to rest at room temperature until doubled in size.
Next, divide the dough into equal portions, depending on how many pizzas you want to make. Place each piece of dough into its own bowl, covering it and allowing it to double in size again. Then, begin forming each dough ball into a pizza base by kneading and spreading the ball out from the centre, using your fingers.
Afterwards, add a little tomato passata and any other desired toppings. Cheese is usually a must, with buffalo mozzarella being the classic choice. Meats like salami, pepperoni and cured ham are a good bet too, in addition to vegetables like peppers, sweetcorn and red onions.
Once you’ve added your sauce and toppings, simply slide your pizza into the oven, cook, and enjoy!
Spaghetti carbonara
The classic Roman dish, spaghetti carbonara is one of the most well-known Italian dishes. Unfortunately, however, it’s also often made incorrectly, or inauthentically.
To begin with, contrary to what many seem to think, a truly authentic spaghetti carbonara contains absolutely no cream.
If you want to make a genuine Italian spaghetti carbonara, first, get your hands on some guanciale – Italian cured meat made from pig cheeks or ‘jowls’, often flavoured with thyme or fennel. If you can’t find guanciale locally, substitute with Italian pancetta or, as a last resort, bacon.
Next, chop the guanciale into bite sized chunks and place into a cold, dry pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high and fry the guanciale for a few minutes or so, until the fat renders out from the meat.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add your pasta.
As the pasta is cooking, start making the egg mixture. Crack an egg and separate the yolk, using one yolk per serving. Next, beat the egg in a bowl with a generous pinch of black pepper, before adding a generous heap of Pecorino Romano cheese. The aim is to create a thick, paste-like mixture, so don’t be shy with the cheese and keep stirring until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Once the pasta is al dente, drain away the water, reserving a little just in case you need to thicken the sauce). Next, remove the guanciale from the heat and add the pasta to the same pan, tossing it to coat it with the fat. Add a drop of pasta water if it gets too dry.
To finish, stir in the cheesy egg mixture, mixing and tossing continuously and vigorously to prevent the egg from cooking. Serve your spaghetti carbonara while hot, teamed with fresh garlic bread if you like.
Frittata
A traditional Italian omelette made using eggs and cheese, a frittata is an incredibly versatile dish. Besides the basics, you can add just about any ingredient you like and, in the unlikely event that you don’t end up polishing it off in one sitting, it can be eaten cold for a decadent breakfast, hearty lunch, or easy dinner the next day.
To make a basic Italian frittata, parboil potatoes in salted water. Meanwhile, crack three eggs into a large bowl and beat until combined, adding a generous helping of grated Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano and/or mozzarella. Beat the egg and cheese together, adding a pinch of black pepper to taste.
Once the potatoes have softened slightly, remove them from the pan and carefully cut them into thin slices (but be careful, they’ll be hot!) Add the potatoes to to a preheated skillet along with some extra virgin olive oil, and fry.
As the potatoes are cooking, wash and roughly chop some broccoli or any veg of your choice. Add the veg to the pan and cook until softened.
Add the egg and cheese mixture to the pan, tipping the pan from side-to-side to encourage the mixture to distribute evenly.
Once the potatoes are golden brown on both sides, add some chopped broccoli and a touch more olive oil if necessary.
Once the broccoli has softened slightly, it’s time to add the egg and cheese mixture. Tip this into the pan and swirl around until it’s evenly distributed. Scrape the sides and the bottom to allow it to settle, then leave untouched for five to 10 minutes.
When you see bubbles forming on the surface of the egg, place the pan into a preheated oven and bake for around 20 minutes. This will cook the top of your frittata, so there’s no need to worry about flipping it.
After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and marvel at your perfectly formed frittata.
While this recipe calls for potato and broccoli, you can experiment with other ingredients too. A simple spinach and cheese frittata can be rather wholesome, while red peppers and spicy sausage make for another delicious combination. Feel free to experiment with any toppings you like!
What’s your favourite Italian recipe to cook at home? Leave a comment to let me know.