How To Cook Like An Italian: 3 Common Mistakes to Avoid

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲! In this video, we’ll reveal the top 3 Italian cooking mistakes holding you back and provide expert tips for avoiding them. Learn how to cook like an Italian!

Italian cuisine is celebrated for its simplicity, freshness, and emphasis on quality ingredients. With roots dating back centuries, this Mediterranean cooking style has captivated taste buds worldwide.

However, even seasoned travelers can make missteps when navigating Italy’s culinary landscape.

To avoid faux pas and fully immerse yourself in the Italian food experience, it’s essential to understand some of the unspoken rules that locals adhere to.

▶️Video Chapters:
00:00 How To Cook Like An Italian: 3 Common Mistakes to Avoid

00:13 Overcooking Meat and Vegetables: A frequent error is using an egg wash and baking meat in the oven, which can result in dryness.
To maintain juiciness and enhance flavor, opt for pan-roasting in a skillet with oil or even without it. This method, when mastered, allows the meat or vegetables to caramelize, creating a rich and satisfying dish that you can be proud of.

00:59 Adding Oil to Pasta Water: Many home cooks misunderstand this. Contrary to popular belief, adding oil to pasta water does not prevent sticking. It can create a greasy coating that interferes with the sauce’s ability to adhere to the pasta. Instead, focus on cooking the pasta al dente, which means “firm to the tooth.”

This ensures that the pasta retains its texture and flavor.
Additionally, reserving some of the pasta water can be invaluable for adding richness and creaminess to your sauce.

01:59 Drowning Pasta in Sauce: A common mistake is to overwhelm pasta with excessive sauce. Remember, the pasta is the dish’s star, and the sauce is merely a supporting act. Allowing the pasta’s flavor to shine can create a more balanced and enjoyable meal.

The sauce should complement the pasta, not overpower it. Experiment with different sauce-to-pasta ratios to find the perfect balance for your taste preferences.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can elevate your Italian cooking and create authentic and delicious dishes that impress your friends and family.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t be afraid to experiment and discover your own unique approach to Italian cuisine. With each dish, you’re getting closer to mastering the art of Italian cooking.

This is my Sicilian mother-in-law. And it didn’t matter what she was cooking whether it was pasta, fish or chicken cutlets on Sunday, it was always delicious.

My mother-in-law taught me that if you use an egg wash and then breadcrumbs for your meat, whether it be steak, chicken, pork, fish, whatever, and then use a pan to bake in the oven, it will turn out very dry.

Instead of using an egg wash and baking in the oven, cook the prepared meat or vegetable in a skillet. Use your favorite oil or just use a dry skillet for pan roasting. It’ll definitely be much more flavorful and moist.

If you want to bake your meat or vegetables in the oven, just be sure to coat with oil and then your breadcrumb mixture.

My Sicilian MIL taught me to add seasoning in layers. Plenty of salt should added to the pasta water so that you can simply drain the pasta, add butter, and it’s flavorful enough to eat.

I never saw my MIL add oil to the pasta water, and she told me it’s a waste of time and money, and doesn’t keep the pasta from sticking. In fact, I’ve never seen an Italian in Italy ever add oil to the pasta water.

I was taught to cook pasta al dente, which means “firm to the tooth,” and not to overcook it so that the flavor is gone and the texture is mushy.

There’s a lot of flavor in that pasta water so make sure you reserve some in case you need it to finish the dish.

A mistake a lot of people make is drowning the pasta in sauce. In Italian homes, the pasta is the star and the sauce is just the complement.

My mother-in-law always seasoned her own plain breadcrumbs to dredge meat, fish, or veggies, and she made delicious and fresh tasting food.

You can add freshly grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, spices, fresh parsley but make sure it’s the Italian flatleaf parsley, not the curly type.

I’m grateful my Sicilian mother-in-law taught me to cook authentic Italian food and now you can too.

Follow these tips so you can too.