Notes on Ingredients

ANCHOVIES

Italian cooking often highlights anchovies, a taste some times intimidating to Americans. But a small amount of anchovy is often the right element to give life to a dish. When used subtly they add no noticeable fishy or briny taste, only a greater depth of flavor that even card-carrying anchovy haters will enjoy.

For general use buy flat anchovies packed in oil. After opening the can store the anchovies and oil in a plastic container tightly covered in the refrigerator. They will hold for several weeks. To use rinse them under cold water and soak in milk for at least an hour. The milk helps to leach out some salt and soften the anchovies. Rinse again before using. If the recipe calls for a puree, chop the anchovy, then mash it against a cutting board with the side of a large knife.

Whole anchovies packed in salt are available at some Italian delicatessans. They have a fish-like flavor, but not as briny as oil packed anchovies. Rinse well under cold water to remove excess salt and pull out the backbone if you wish. We use these anchovies when the look of a whole fillet is important, such as on pizza or crostini, as their shiny skins and sardine-like appearance is striking.

ARBORIO RICE

Italy is Europe's largest rice producer and consumer. For a thousand years the Po River Valley in Northern Italy has produced most of the country's rice crop. In nearby Milan rice is as important as pasta for the daily starch. Of the more than 50 varieties of rice grown in Italy, the most abundant premium rice is Arborio.

Arborio has plump, short grains and a nutty flavor. During cooking each grain maintains its shape while its exterior starch melts to create a creamy coating. Arborio is used in risotto, the famed rice dish of Northern Italy. We have found that Arborio's distinctive taste and texture is well suited in other recipes such as Suppli di Riso and Arborio Rice Frittata . When buying Arborio rice look for the words "super fino" on the package indicating that it has the largest grains. Although more expensive than regular rice, the texture and flavor of Arborio is worth the extra cost.

BELL PEPPERS

Peppers, native to tropical America, have been cultivated in Europe since the 16th Century. Like other members of the nightshade family (which includes tomatoes and eggplants) they have become identified with Italian cooking. Peppers range in color from green to yellow to red, which is the sweetest. Pimentos, a type of red pepper, are meatier and once roasted are easier to peel than red bell peppers; we use them whenever they are available. The easiest way to clean bell peppers is to cut them in half lengthwise and with a small knife cut out the core, white ribs and seeds.

Roasted peppers add an intriguing smoky-sweet, almost spicy flavor to nearly all antipasto tables in Italy. They can be prepared in advance and held up to a week refrigerated. Roasted peppers are a stock item in our larder ready for an impromptu antipasto with capers, anchovies, garlic or walnuts; or simply served with olives and a fruity olive oil. To roast peppers place whole red or yellow peppers on a cookie sheet under a broiler or place directly on a grill or gas flame. Cook until the skin is totally charred and blistered. Place the peppers in a paper bag, seal and put the bag on a cookie sheet. Let sit for 30 to 60 minutes to steam the skins loose. Remove the peppers and using the back of a knife scrape off the skin, discard the core and the seeds. If necessary, run the peppers under cold running water to remove all seeds and skin.

CAPERS

Capers are the unripe bud of any of 150 species of the low growing prickly caper bush. This plant thrives on the heat and arid soil of Mediterranean areas: Italy, Spain, Majorca, Algeria and Turkey. It can be found climbing cliffs and rocky walls, its pink and white blossoms visible throughout the countryside. Capers can be cultivated and are currently being grown in California and Florida. Non-pariel are the smallest capers, capote the largest. Non-pariel capers are the most piquant, most prized and the only ones we suggest you use. As capers are usually stored in a vinegar solution, they must be rinsed before using. Capers provide an earthy, dusky flavor to dishes. Instead of the usual 3-ounce jars, look for a larger size as it is more economical and capers will last indefinitely.

CHEESE

Buy cheese from a shop that not only specializes in imported cheeses but has a large turnover to ensure that its products are fresh. Always ask for a taste before you buy. As cheese picks up aromas when stored in your refrigerator, keep it in a well sealed container. Some cheeses keep for several weeks and are perfect for a snack; when served with roasted peppers or with Crostini it makes an impromptu antipasto for drop-in guests. There are many fine Italian cheeses that you will want to sample. Here are a few words about some of our favorites.

BEL PAESE is a mild, soft, creamy cheese with just a hint of tang. Meaning "beautiful country, it originates from Lombardy. We especially like its smooth, rich texture when it is cooked. Use Monterey jack as a substitute.

FONTINA comes only from the Valle d'Aosta though many cheeses from Europe borrow its name. It has the flavor of herbs and grasses of the Italian Alps. When we are in the Valle d'Aosta we buy Fontina aged and pungent, irregular in shape, covered with a dark brown rind. In this country, we use a younger version which is a straw-yellow with a buttery, nutty taste. The texture is semi-soft, rich and creamy with a few very small holes. Look for the orange-brown rind that indicates a true Fontina. It makes a good table cheese and is mild and smooth when melted. Fresh mozzarella can sometimes be substituted if necessary.

GORGONZOLA is a blue-veined cheese from Lombardy traceable back to 879 A.D. Well aged gorgonzola rests for a year in damp caves to produce its characteristic blue mold. We prefer the less pungent, creamier dolcelatte gorgonzola, which is aged 90 to 150 days. It is a strong flavored cheese that mellows when cooked. If unavailable use a creamy domestic blue cheese.

MOZZARELLA is a soft, sweetly-bland, milky tasting cheese made in Southern Italy from the milk of water buffalo. It owes its name to the process of tearing (mozzare) small pieces of curd to be formed into unique shapes of ½ to 1 pound. Bocconcini (little mouthfuls) are the smallest at one ounce. You can find them immersed in a watery whey in cheese shops around Naples. It must be eaten the day it is made or its unique texture and taste are lost. As production is limited, most of what you find as mozzarella in Italy is made from cow's milk, called fior di latte. In this country we are fortunate to have families making fresh cow's milk mozzarella and it can be found in good cheese shops. Soft and moist, with a characteristic ropy texture, it bears no resemblance to supermarket mozzarella, which we don't recommend using for these recipes. If you must substitute, use a very fresh Monterey jack.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO is one of the world's greatest cheeses and perhaps the oldest -- dating back 2500 years to the Etruscans. Real Parmesan is called Parmigiano Reggiano as it is produced in a delimited area basically between Parma and Reggio. It is produced under very strict controls and aged 2 to 3 years. It can be identified by the name Parmigiano Reggiano stamped into the rind. Although some neighboring provinces produce an almost identical cheese, by law it cannot use the name. It is called grana, as is any other dry grating cheese in Italy. Small producers often leave giant wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano with their local bank as collateral against working capital while the cheese ages enough to be sold. The finished product is straw colored, crumbly, slightly salty and strong flavored. Cheese shops in Italy pry chunks from a wheel with a spade shaped chisel and families use this expensive cheese to nibble before a meal or grate over pasta at the table. A less expensive grana cheese is used in cooking. Use an Italian grana or an Argentinean Reggianito when mixing the cheese with other ingredients as in stuffings, fillings, etc. Use Parmigiano Reggiano for grating over soups, salads or pastas when the taste will show off. With any Parmesan grate it only as you need it; once grated it quickly loses its flavor.

RICOTTA is made from the whey leftover from making an other cheese, generally mozzarella. It is fresh, unsalted, soft and moist. Ricotta should be eaten as fresh as possible or its sweetness begins to fade, then sour. Factory-made ricotta found in supermarkets are made with stabilizers and are firmer and drier than fresh. Better cheese shops should carry a fresh ricotta. Taste the brands available to you and choose the sweetest. Cottage cheese will not work as a substitute.

CITRUS ZEST

Zest is the outer, colored skin of any citrus fruit: lemons, oranges, tangerines, limes, grapefruit, etc. The flavor of the fruit is more concentrated in the skin than in the juice and gives an excellent spark to many dishes. Do not include any of the white pith under the skin or the dish will be bitter. It is easiest to obtain the zest from the fruit before juicing it. Use a zester (available in culinary stores), a fine grater or a vegetable peeler. When using a peeler remove the outer skin in strips, cut it into very thin slivers and chop finely.

GARLIC

Although garlic is used throughout Italy it is used differently from area to area. In the North, near France, garlic is used to flavor cooking oils but not found in the dish itself whereas in Sicily we have been served raw, chopped garlic as a condiment to grilled swordfish. We vary our method of preparing garlic depending on the desired result: For a subtle garlic taste in delicate dishes, heat a peeled clove in the cooking oil and discard it when it starts to brown; Chopped garlic, sautéed to golden brown, will give an earthy taste to a dish; For a bold but not raw taste blanch the cloves for several minutes before chopping; Garlic has a mild sweet, aromatic taste when roasted or baked .

Buy garlic that has full, plump, firm cloves. Store it in a place with good air circulation. Peel garlic by separating the cloves, giving them a light rap with the side of a large knife and pulling off the skin with your fingers or a small knife. Peeled whole cloves can be stored in light olive oil for up to a week. Finely chopped garlic can be stored, completely covered by olive oil, for 1 to 2 days.

Garlic Oil

Garlic oil is the wonderful by-product of storing whole cloves in olive oil. The olive oil picks up the piquant aroma and taste of the garlic. If you don't have this oil on hand, slightly crush 8 large peeled garlic cloves and cover with ½ cup of light olive oil. Keep covered at room temperature for at least one hour. Strain before using. (Refrigerated, this oil will last for months.)

HERBS

The taste of fresh herbs is the taste of Italy to us. With the possible exception of olive oil, no other taste sends our memory back so readily to meals eaten there. Nothing enlivens and gives depth to dishes like fresh herbs and they play a central role in our cooking. The herbs that we rely on most are parsley, basil, oregano, marjoram, bay, sage and mint. Others that we use are thyme, lemon thyme, chives, juniper, and tarragon.

There are few steadfast rules on using herbs and often one herb can be substituted for another. Use them freely and experiment with different types; each will alter the character of a dish slightly. Here are a few tips for using herbs:

• Wash your fresh herbs gently in cold water, shake off the excess and wrap in paper towels. They will last a week if refrigerated in plastic bags.
• Flat leaf (also called Italian) parsley has a more robust and authentic flavor than curly leaf parsley and is preferable.
• Rosemary and sage are strong herbs and should be used judiciously so as not to overpower other elements in a dish.
• If you have herbs that you can't use, pack them in layers of salt. The preserved herbs and the flavored salt that results, will last for months.
• If one fresh herb is not available substitute another be fore resorting to dried herbs. Urge your market to carry a selection of fresh herbs, many of which have year-round availability.
• If you must use dried herbs, remember that they are stronger than fresh. Use only 1/3 the amount called for in a recipe using fresh herbs. Do not use dried basil or parsley at all as they have an unpleasant taste.

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil is the cornerstone of most Mediterranean cooking. It has been vital for thousands of years both as a food and a medicine. Few other foods invoke the tastes and smells of Italy so faithfully as olive oil and there are no substitutes. In Tuscany, for example, a bottle of extra virgin olive oil stands on every table to be used as a condiment with grilled meats, to pour onto saltless bread or to drizzle on soups.

There are four main types of olive oil. Extra virgin oil from the first olive pressing is usually dark green, fruity, and very strong in olive flavor; virgin oil from the second pressing is medium green with a moderate olive taste; for pure oil the pulp is treated with chemicals to extract flavor, the color is pale straw and the taste can be bitter; fine oil is obtained by processing the pulp further with water and chemical solvents to extract the last bit of flavor and is not recommended. The Italians are very clear about the uses of each type of oil; a pure or light olive oil for cooking and a virgin or extra virgin when highlighting the flavor as heat destroys the taste. If our recipe calls for "fruity olive oil" as a general rule use extra virgin. If the recipe calls for "light olive oil" use a light virgin or a good pure.

Happily we are finding more brands of quality olive oils available to us in America. Olive oil's popularity has increased due to its distinctive flavor and its monounsaturated, no cholesterol makeup. It is often difficult to guess the quality of an oil by price or by label. The best way to choose an oil is to make a taste comparison with others. Notice if there is a bitter taste of acidity at the back of the throat and choose the oil with the least of this characteristic. A good extra virgin oil should be well balanced with no unpleasant aftertaste (though some superior Tuscan oils have a desirable peppery aftertaste that might take some getting used to). A good virgin or pure should have a mild, clean taste. Buy from stores specializing in Italian products and rely on their recommendations. Ask for oils produced by small companies that can maintain better quality rather than the large industrial companies. Store oils away from the heat or sunlight and use them within a year.

PANCETTA

Pancetta is the Italian equivalent of bacon. It is the same cut of meat, the pork belly, but unlike bacon it is not smoked.

It is cured, salted, lightly spiced then rolled up like a jelly roll. Pancetta has a wonderfully distinctive taste of its own and is worth seeking out. We find that more and more, butcher shops, specialty shops and delicatessens are carrying it.

If you must substitute, either bacon or salt pork may work, depending on the dish (we give substitution recommendations in the recipes). If you use either, simmer for 3 to 4 minutes in water before using to reduce the smokiness of the bacon and the saltiness of the salt pork. Pancetta keeps for weeks in the refrigerator and is a great staple to have on hand. For ease in cutting, first unroll the pancetta so that it will lie flat.

POLENTA

Polenta is a coarse ground cornmeal and generally made into a mush-like porridge known also as polenta. The Roman armies had a similar staple made out of either millet, chick peas, buckwheat or barley. "Pulmentum" was carried by soldiers and made into mush or a hardened cake. When corn was introduced to Italy in the 17th century it was readily adopted for a similar porridge, especially in the mountainous areas where wheat was less profitable to grow. Today it is prevalent throughout Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, and the Fruili. Polenta grains come in a variety of coarseness and color; white polenta is a specialty of the Veneto.

One of our favorite foods, we love polenta's versatility and use it in every course of the meal from antipasto to dessert. As a mush polenta can be made with water, stock or milk. The mush is eaten soft, the consistency of hot cereal, or chilled and cut into slices which are then baked, broiled or fried. It is especially good with game birds, ragouts and stews -- any dish where the polenta can absorb the meat juices or sauce.

The traditional method of cooking polenta is over an open hearth in a copper "paiolo," requiring an hour of constant stirring. We favor a more modern method .

PROSCIUTTO

Prosciutto, also called prosciutto crudo (to distinguish it from prosciutto cotto, which is cooked), is a cured raw Italian ham. It is encrusted with salt and black pepper, air-dried, pressed and aged for 10 months to 2 years. We've found that each area in Italy has its local variation of prosciutto, but most cooks agree that the finest comes from Parma, where not only the curing but the raising of the pig is highly specialized and controlled. Prosciutto should have a sweet, rich flavor and range from deep pink to red in color. Have your delicatessen slice it paper thin and store it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Presliced, prepackaged prosciutto is invariably too dry.

Prosciutto is best known as an antipasto served with fruit such as melon or, one of our favorites, figs. It is also used as an ingredient in many kinds of dishes: pasta, stuffings, soups, savories, sauces and stews. When we have extra prosciutto fat we never throw it away, but use it to flavor soups and vegetables. We use the prized bone with beans and soups. Be careful when adding salt to a dish using prosciutto as the ham is naturally salty.

TOMATOES

The tomato is a native of South America that came to Italy in the 16th century. It was initially believed to be poisonous and was used only as an ornamental plant. The Italians were the first Europeans to accept the tomato as edible and it grew to flourish both in their gardens and their cooking. It was under Italian cultivation that the tiny yellow and green fruit of the tomato plant became red and eventually led to the plum tomato used with such passion in Italy today.

We use fresh tomatoes only in the summer. These seasonal beauties can't be compared to the mealy, pale-tasting tomatoes of the rest of the year. When flavorful tomatoes are not available we cook with a good canned Italian plum tomato -- as the Italians do themselves. And recipes that demand the flavor of fresh ripe tomatoes? Save them for the summertime when dishes such as Panzanella are made all the more special by their occasional appearance.

Sun-dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are fresh tomatoes that have been dehydrated in the open air. Tomatoes drying on rooftops is a common sight in the tomato producing areas of Italy. Sun-drieds have a concentrated, piquant taste and are generally salty. They are available either packed dry or in olive oil. To use the dry-packed tomatoes rehydrate them in hot water until plump. If they are too salty rinse them under cool, running water for a few minutes. Store the rehydrated tomatoes covered with olive oil in a glass jar. The oil becomes as flavorful, and useful, as the tomatoes.

During the summer months when the tomatoes are ripe and plentiful, we like to dry our own. Choose very ripe, soft, deep red tomatoes. Cut the unpeeled tomatoes in half and squeeze out the excess juice and seeds. Lay them cut side up on a cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Dry in the sun or on the lowest setting of your oven until they are leathery and dry. Store them covered with olive oil in sterilized glass jars.

VINEGAR

Italian cooks primarily use red wine, white wine and balsamic vinegar. We like to expand that traditional line-up by adding cider, sherry, herb and fruit vinegars. Whatever the type, it is important to buy good quality vinegar. Try all the different vinegars available and choose ones that have an assertive and well rounded flavor. Use a light hand with vinegar, especially when matching foods with wines and aperitivi. The Italian tradition with salad greens is to serve them with a good virgin or extra virgin olive oil and just a dash of vinegar or lemon juice.

Make your own flavored vinegars by infusing white wine vinegar with bruised herbs or finely chopped fruit. Store in sterilized glass bottles. We like herb vinegars on fish and in vinaigrettes based on olive oil. Fruit vinegars are especially nice with poultry, meat and in vinaigrettes made with nut oils.

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar has a beautiful chestnut-brown color and a thick, spicy-sweet taste. A specialty of the Modena area, it has been produced at home for centuries and has had an illustrious past. Balsamic was considered so precious that it was once given in a silver keg as an offering to an emperor and was frequently handed down to survivors through wills. Balsamic is made from fresh Trebbiano grape juice rather than wine which gives it a natural sweetness. It is traditionally aged at least 10, often up to 100, years in a series of casks, graduating in size, of oak, mulberry, chestnut and juniper woods. Each wood imparts its own special flavor. A set of these casks are often given as a bridal dowry. The balsamic vinegars available to us from commercial producers are aged for about 2 years and are much more affordable. We find them perfect for dishes that call for a warm, sweet-sour taste. We use balsamic vinegar in vinaigrettes, over grilled vegetables, to deglaze meat dishes and with seafood. Because of its deep brown color we do not recommend using balsamic in a lightly colored dish, such as a light spring salad, as it might give a muddy look to the final product.

WINE

Wine has played a major role in Italian cooking since Roman times. The foods of Italy have developed hand in hand with the local wines and they are literally made for each other. We keep a dry white Italian wine and a medium-bodied Chianti on hand for cooking. Dry white vermouth (secco) has a stronger, fruitier taste than white wine and adds a nice nuance to dishes that are robust enough not to be overpowered by it. When choosing a wine to cook with remember that the taste will be discernible in the final product. Use a good wine, one that you would enjoy drinking. Match the qualities of the wine to a dish; if the dish needs sweetness, use a fruity wine; if the recipe has a light, clean style as do most Italian dishes, don't choose a robust red. After adding a wine to a sauce bring it to a boil for a minute to burn off the alcohol and soften the acidity.