Italian cuisine enjoys an excellent reputation in Germany, primarily due to an abundance of tasty pasta dishes and pizzas baked crispy in a stone oven. Mediterranean cuisine would not be complete without plenty of olive oil, but the use of a wide variety of salami and cheese also characterizes Italy as a land for gourmets. To bring a piece of vacation home with the best Italian dishes, we present suitable ingredients and necessary equipment below.
Creating vacation feelings with high-quality Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine enjoys an excellent reputation not only in Germany but also internationally. It is said to have an almost artistic approach to high-quality ingredients, paired with recipes and preparation methods passed down over several generations.
When people think of Italian cuisine, pasta dishes of all kinds and the comforting aromas from a stone oven, where pizzas get their incomparable flavor, immediately come to mind. Represented in numbers, in a survey published by Statista in January 2018, the majority of respondents (78%) stated that they like pizza best, closely followed by pasta at 75%. Only 4% opted for other dishes.
But it's not just with pizza and pasta: Italy as a country has been shaped on a culinary level by the most diverse influences and traditions, with cooking in the north tending to be quite hearty, while in the south it is more traditional, for example with plenty of olive oil.
There are therefore more than enough reasons to bring the Mediterranean flair and thus a piece of enjoyment into your own four walls. To turn this plan into reality, two things are needed in addition to delicious recipes – namely, on the one hand, the right ingredients and, on the other hand, the right equipment for preparation.
These ingredients are essential in Italian cuisine
Hobby chefs should ideally buy the ingredients for Mediterranean dishes fresh from the market and preferably in organic quality. While this is somewhat more expensive than shopping at the supermarket, the extra quality, the increased experience factor when shopping, and the good feeling of supporting adequate production conditions make up for the extra cost.
Three ingredients are absolutely essential for Italian dishes:
- Flour
- Good olive oil
- Tomato paste
Primarily for the preparation of pizzas, the flour "Le 5 Stagioni" is recommended, as it is even officially recommended by Naples AVPN (The True Neapolitan Pizza Association).
When buying olive oil, however, one should ensure that it is a native product such as Jordan Olive Oil. This multi-award-winning oil is cold-pressed and impresses with a fine yet rich taste in a variety of dishes.
Another advantage of purchasing this oil is that it comes in a light-protected can. This ensures that it stays fresh for a long time and the aromas are optimally preserved.
As an alternative to using fresh organic tomatoes, chefs should use tomato paste for Mediterranean dishes, specifically the classic from Oro di Parma. An advantage of this product is that it is triple-concentrated and consists of sun-ripened tomatoes. These come – as the name suggests – from Parma, the food valley of Italy par excellence.
Serving pizzas like from a pizzeria with your own pizza oven
Apart from the fact that basil and other herbs can also be easily purchased in good quality at the market, the right equipment is also important for the preparation of high-quality Italian dishes.
Anyone who wants to regularly prepare real Italian pizzas at home should think about purchasing a proper pizza oven. The small pizza oven from Royal Catering, which is available for under 200 euros, proves that good devices do not have to be expensive.Pizza oven from Royal Catering. This has an output of 2,000 watts and has a chamber inside where the real pizza stone made of fireclay is located.
The temperature can be precisely regulated in this oven for optimal cooking results – in addition, a timer is integrated, which can be set from 0 to 120 minutes. The advantages of this oven, besides its low price, are that the top and bottom heat can be regulated separately and the oven can be heated to temperatures of up to 350 degrees Celsius. Only through this combination can the unmistakable Italian pizza taste, consisting of crispy bases and juicy toppings, be achieved.
Furthermore, the pizza oven also impresses with its simple handling, which is ensured, among other things, by a large viewing window and a heat-resistant handle.
Precisely because even good pizza ovens for home use are available for comparatively little money, it also makes sense for fans of Italian cuisine to additionally purchase a proper pasta machine – not only against the background of celebrating the preparation, but also because 100% freshness and the best taste are then guaranteed.
In addition, homemade pasta or noodles have to cook for a much shorter time and they can be individually designed in shape and color with additives such as the following:
- Spinach
- Beetroot
- Sepia ink
Good pasta machines can therefore not only knead but also roll out many different types of pasta. The Bartscher pasta machine, for example, fulfills these requirements, with a housing that is coated and scratch-resistant. The screw is made of high-quality brass with a bronze alloy and there is a microswitch on the container lid.
The machine has a capacity of 1.5 kilograms and can produce 5 different types of pasta. It is therefore also ideal for preparing larger portions for a multi-person household or for events and festivities. Only the dies for the pasta and the locking cap must be purchased separately.
