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Colander This is an essential kitchen tool. You can use it for draining vegetables and fruits after washing, draining boiled foods, or as an attractive way to store fruits like apples.
Wooden rolling pin When I was a little girl, using the rolling pin was my biggest thrill. I loved rolling out the dough for pies with my Nana. I still have the one we used together fifty years ago!
Meat tenderizer or mallet Sure, you can use a cup, a wine bottle, a hammer or some other household item to tenderize your meat—but why not get a mallet? They’re not very expensive, and they make short and easy work of thinning out a flank steak or chicken breast.
Mandoline I love my mandoline. I use it to slice sweet potatoes and other vegetables. Of course, a chef ’s knife works too, but a mandoline makes perfect, consistently sized slices every time.
Espresso maker You don’t need a fancy espresso maker that takes up your entire counter. All you need is a stove-top espresso maker like the Moka Express from Bialetti. These come in different colors and sizes, and are very affordable.
Baking pans Find a nice starter kit that includes a variety of baking pans.
Timer Even if your stove has a timer, it’s wise to keep a portable one handy if you like to multi-task while you cook. Setting a timer on your phone works well, too!
Mixing bowls Find a set of nesting mixing bowls of glass, plastic, metal, or ceramic. They’re easy to stack and keep at arm’s reach, and they come in very handy from breakfast to dinner and dessert!
Measuring cups and spoons Nana never used measuring cups or spoons when cooking, but she always used them for baking. You should have a set of cups going from ⅛ cup to 1 cup, and a set of spoons from ⅛ tsp to 1 Tbsp.
ADDITIONAL TOOLS, POTS, PANS, BAKING DISHES, AND UTENSILS
The following is a list of all the items that I use in my kitchen. While they’re nice to have, they’re not strictly necessary for Italian cooking, or even for cooking in general. Keep an eye out for these items at tag sales and consignment shops rather than going out of your way to buy them new.
• Baking dishes
• Baking sheets
• Blender
• Cast-iron skillet
• Food processor
• Hand mixer
• Immersion blender
• Knife sharpener
• Muffin tins
• Rubber spatulas
• Stand mixer
• Large stockpot
• Saucepans of different sizes
• Oven-safe skillet (sauté pan)
• Tongs
• Meat thermometer
A WORD ABOUT KNIVES
A good knife is essential for cooking, and using the correct knife for the task makes everything easier. Always keep your knives clean and sharp. I use Schmidt knives; the following describes my favorites and their uses.
Chef’s knife If you have to choose only one knife, get an 8- or 10-inch (20- to 25-cm) chef ’s knife. It’s the most universal knife in the kitchen, designed for all cutting tasks. Because the blade is curved, you can rock it back and forth on the cutting board as you chop herbs or vegetables. The weight of the blade allows you to cut meat off the bone as if you were using a cleaver. Ideal for: cutting raw meat, any meat with bones, racks, large fruits, large vegetables and other large items.
Paring knife or bird’s-beak paring knife A paring knife is a small knife with a 2- or 3-inch (5- to 8-cm) blade. The curved blade of a bird’s-beak knife makes it well suited for delicate cutting. Ideal for: peeling pears and potatoes, deseeding peppers, deveining shrimp, or making radish roses.
Utility knife Like a chef ’s knife, your utility knife is always there with you in the trenches. Midway in size between a chef ’s knife and a paring knife, it can get a lot of jobs done. Ideal for: larger and firmer vegetables broccoli or carrots, larger fruits like melons, sandwich meats.
Adapted with permission from Schmidt Brothers Cutlery.
Slicer or carver You don’t need a hunk of a blade to cut through a hunk of meat. For a roast, a rack or a bird, use a slicer or carving knife— the cutlery of carnivores. Long, with a blade that’s either serrated or straight, a carver is the knife you need for tearing through a turkey and slicing meat as thin as you need. Ideal for: turkey, roast beef, ham, and anything else meaty and yummy.
Santoku The santoku is the Japanese version of a chef ’s knife. It’s typically straighter and lighter than a Western-style chef ’s knife, but just as versatile. Ideal for: vegetables, fish, boneless chicken and thin-boned meats.
Petite chef’s knife A petite chef ’s knife has the same shape and heft as a traditional chef ’s knife, but with a smaller blade—about 6 in (15 cm)—so it’s better suited for smaller jobs. Ideal for: cutting raw meat, any meat with bones, fruits and vegetables.
Tomato knife Put too much pressure on a tomato and you’ll get tomato sauce! A tomato knife has fine serrations that can pierce the skin and cut through the fruit without crushing it or creating soft spots. Ideal for: tomatoes and other soft fruits and vegetables.
Boning knife Dealing with bones is no fun, but the right knife makes removing them a lot easier. Boning knives are tough, but thin and flexible enough to get into small spaces. Stiffer boning knives work well for beef and pork, whereas a more flexible blade is better for boning fish and poultry. Ideal for: removing bones from meat, poultry, and fish.
COOKING METHODS & TIPS
Always select the correct cooking method, as your choice will determine the texture, appearance and flavor of the foods you prepare. Understanding the basic cooking methods will help ensure your success in the kitchen.
Braising A slow, moist-heat
