healthful fats) as well as antioxidant-rich produce.
In each chapter of this book, I give examples on how to pair dishes together so that the flavors build and complement one another. Most recipes have serving and pairing suggestions. A few points to remember — even though you are serving several courses in a meal, they should all go together in the sense that their flavors are complimentary. For example:
If you serve a first course with tomato sauce, then the second course is usually roasted, grilled, or pan-fried (but without sauce).
Saucy second courses are served with simply dressed first courses that don’t overpower them.
Textures are also taken into consideration. Each meal should have a soft, saucy component, a fresh, crunch component, al dente pasta (if serving), as well as creaminess, which could come from a soup, a sauce, or a dessert.
Chapter 3
Base Recipes: The Backbone of the Italian Kitchen
IN THIS CHAPTER
RECIPES IN THIS CHAPTER
Brodo di pesce/Homemade Seafood Stock
Brodo di pollo/Homemade Chicken Stock
Brodo di carne/Homemade Meat Stock
The recipes in this chapter are hardly anything to brag about. Despite their simplicity, however, they truly are the backbone of the Italian kitchen and having them on hand sets you up for success. Whenever I teach my Mastering Italian Certification Series cooking classes, I always start with these.
In this chapter, you learn how to make fresh bread crumbs, crostini, bruschetta, stocks, beans and legumes, and to prepare fruits and vegetables in advance so you will be able to whip up marvelous Italian meals in minutes.
Introducing the BFFs of Italian Home Cooks
Base recipes like those included in this chapter have long been the best friends of Italian home cooks. Setting out to make every component of the more intricate recipes can be challenging, so savvy homemakers traditionally took advantage of breaks in their schedule to stock their kitchens with time-saving basics. Even though most Italians work outside of the home nowadays, they still rely on these recipes to enable them to pull together authentic dishes whenever the mood strikes.
Waste not: Making bread crumbs, crostini, and bruschette
Because bread is so integral to the Italian culture (see Chapter 21), it is considered sacrilege to waste it. Artisan and homemade breads don’t last as long as commercially prepared breads do, because they are free of preservatives. After a day or two, real fresh bread should be hard, and then stale.
Note: Bruschetta is said to be the most mispronounced of all Italian words. The correct pronunciation is broos/KEHT/tah (not broo/SHEH/tah). It is also important to note that Italian words that end with the vowel “a” change to an “e” ending for the plural form. Bruschetta becomes bruschette when plural, pizza becomes pizze, and so on.
Savory
