Italian cuisine is a popular favourite. One of the reasons for it is because it delivers a range of complex and subtle flavours in a single dish. For example, you could taste the tanginess in a lasagne while you feel the layers of cheese and pasta melt in your mouth and the spicy-garlicky flavour of the sauce is left behind. Or a dish can be very simple yet tasty like the aglio olio. Well, here are some essentials you should always have in your pantry to whip up Italian dishes.
Grateable cheese: Get a range of grateable cheeses-—cheddar, parmigiana, grana padano are some great choices. These can add texture and a sharp salty flavour to your dishes. These cheeses can easily be stored in your pantry for many months.
Canned fish: Canned fish like tuna, sardines and anchovies make for great choices to include in sauces, pasta or pizza toppings or even as a filling for an Italian-inspired sub. Canned fish in olive oil or water? Well, that's your personal choice. But, pick a brand that offers quality and variety.
Olive oil: Italian cuisine simply isn't complete without olive oil. If you don't mind the strong aroma and flavour, you can opt for extra virgin olive oil. The peculiar fruity taste and aroma in salads and pasta dishes is what makes Italian flavouring unique.
Flour: Good quality flour forms an important part of Italian cooking. Opt for quality whole wheat flour for making pasta, pizza dough, gnocchi etc. You could always buy readymade packets of pasta, but there's nothing quite like rolling pasta with your own hands and watching it come out well. Other essentials include rice and semolina.
Pancetta: A range of meat products like pancetta, pepperoni or sausages also are great options for pizza or pasta toppings. These add a great range of flavour too, to your sauces.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes form an important base for nearly all Italian dishes. Be it in the form of sauce or salads, or even if it is the sun-dried variety in a sandwich. Tomatoes also form the base for many gravy-based dishes that have meat in them.
Herbs and garlic: Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary are important to add flavour to your dishes. A touch of herbs and garlic is used to give depth to dishes with simmered sauces.
Wine: Italian cooking often uses wine. The use can range from sauces and salad dressings or for desserts like poached fruit or simply to add richness to a cake. Wines also bring out the flavour of the meat or fish used in the cooking.
Mozzarella: Though we've listed grateable cheeses as a must-have, mozzarella deserves a special mention. Be it in melted cheese sauces, or just on top of a dish, mozzarella is an important pantry essential. The texture usually works well for anti-pasti.
