Food a woman will love and a man will marry her for....

Cooking Italy

  a Food Blogging Group,

learning to cook regional Italian cuisine

Bolognese, Venetian, Roman, Milanese, Tuscan, Piedmontese, Sicilian, Neapolitan  

I grew up under an amazing umbrella of great Italian home cooks. I am often disheartened at what passes for Italian food in America. I want to encourage others to forget what they have learned about Italian food and learn classical Italian cooking, where the recipes are uncomplicated and success relies on balance and taste.

At the same time, I don’t want this to be super serious or too much pressure. Italian food is not made with a to do list. The process should be just as enjoyable as the meal itself.

Why Marcella?

I heartily agree with her Italian viewpoint. She understands the simplicity of good food, and has set the standard for true Italian cooking. She brought classical Italian cooking into the American kitchen the way Julie Child did it with french cooking. There is no other place to start. Here is an interesting conversation with Marcella.

How does it work? 

I will set a schedule at least one month in advance, usually four dishes that sometimes could be served at one meal, but not always. You can cook as much of it together as you want to, or divide it up into four cooking segments. One segment will be posted each week. You can join in casually and do only two of the dishes per month or do all four.

Occasionally, I will find a recipe from another source that I think will enrich our experience.

I don’t eat veal, what do I do?

No problem, you can substitute with chicken or we will list an option.

I am a vegetarian, what do I do?

Many dishes are vegetarian, and you can choose to cook those.

Do I have to post on Mondays?

No, I chose Monday as the start of the week, but you can post   anytime that week, as we want to keep this casual. Sunday can also be your start of that week.

Can I make substitutions?

It’s best to make the recipes as stated, but if you need to substitute, that’s up to you, and we ask you make sure to chronicle your experiences and changes of recipe.

Do I need to list the recipe?

This is your option. I will always list the recipe, so you may want to list the ingredients and refer readers to my blog. However, this is your decision.

Do I need to list a blog roll for Cooking Italy?

No, that is entirely up to you. I will have a blog roll on my site and you can post a link to that. To stay on the blog roll, you need to post  2 times per month. You will be added to the blog roll, once you email me that your first dish is posted.

How do I join?

Email me and you will be put on the google email list and you will be added to the blog roll.

What do I need?

You will need to purchase the book, The Essentials of Classical Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan. It is recommended that you read the foundational introduction and pay close attention to her comments throughout the book.

Do I need any special equipment?

Yes, at some point, you will need a pasta machine.  I prefer to use the Atlas machine, which is approximately $50. You may prefer your kitchen aid, but I suggest you only use that to roll out the dough, not to mix it, so you can become familiar with true pasta making.

It is also helpful to have a pasta rack,  a ravioli cutter, a cheese grater, a pizza stone,  a pizza peel, a ricer, and a food mill,  and perhaps an ice cream maker.

NOTE: On weeks we make homemade pasta and that’s not possible for you, use a store bought pasta and join us by making the sauce as there will alway an accommodating sauce for the pasta.

Do I need any special foods?

You will find that it’s not that difficult to stock a good Italian pantry. You will find yourself experimenting with olive oils, imported pastas, balsamic vinegars and cheeses. The cheeses will be important and there will be a lot of discussion and sharing on sourcing ingredients, but there should not be too many ingredients that you cannot easily find. A good Italian pantry does not have to be large. 

How is the schedule selected?

I will pick the schedule at least one month in advance, and will do my best to choose items that are seasonal.

Can I join if I don’t have a blog?

Yes, you can be part of the google group discussions. You don’t need a blog, if you want to join the google group, and you can download your pictures there if you desire. Just email me that you want to be invited to the google group. 

Do I have to make the recipes in order?

No, but they need to be posted in order. If you find the ingredients and want those ahead of schedule, you are encouraged to make it and then save the post. This is why the schedule is put out so far in advance, so that you can use ingredients that are local, seasonal, available and desirable.

Miscellaneous

Our group is small and growing. I may end up at some point just posting the blog roll in one place. If you don’t see your website on my blog roll, and you have already cooked your first meal, please let me know.

As a courtesy for the google group, it would be helpful to have a signature that includes your name, city,  your blog roll and a link to your blog, every time you post. Also, let the google group know when you post a new entry with a link to your post, so we can visit and comment.

See Angela’s interview with Giuliano Hazan here.

Keywords: Angela Roberts, Spinach Tiger, Cooking Italy, Marcella Hazan

Order the Cookbook here

Order Marcella’s memoirs here