Top 10 Things in My Italian Kitchen

Contributed by David Galassi, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

My Italian kitchen is always ready to go: antipasta for two, shells for twenty, red gravy that will last a week. I have the same essential things that stocked my grandma’s kitchen.

In an Italian kitchen, it’s more about the right size than the right thing. Big spoons. Big pots. Big appetites. Here are the things I couldn’t do without, the top ten things in my Italian kitchen:

10. Large table spoons

Each table setting needs a fork and large spoon. Makes it easier to twist a mouthful of spaghetti on to the fork and can be used to scoop up that last bit of sauce.

9. Gravy boats

Always have extra “gravy” on your table to ladle over hot lasagna, pasta or other dishes served.

8. Pasta serving bowls

Large pasta serving bowls makes your presentation perfect. You can never have too many. The bigger, the better. Mix and match colors and patterns. Go for rustic, Italian pottery with hand-painted designs. Set a hearty and colorful table to match your food. They also double as antipasta salad bowls.

7. Pasta machine

Try making your own pasta using a pasta machine. It can be basic or fancy. It is simple and fun for the whole family and nothing beats fresh linguini or spaghetti.

6. Cheese grater

A good slide type will have your Romano and Parmesan soft and fluffy for table side sprinkling. A crank type can shave larger bits for cooking and stuffing.

5. Baking dishes

Lasagna, manicotti, stuffed shells, etc. need good large baking dishes to make the 50 or so shells and pan of lasagna that feed 20.

4. Very sharp knives

Slicing and dicing up your zucchini, tomatoes, onions and eggplant will require precision knife work to keep all slices the same thickness. Dice and chop. No food processor here! Hard work is fun and makes for “home made quality.”

3. A garlic press

With head of fresh garlic needed for each dish your press will come on handy rather than pounding each head as seen on TV.

2. A well-stocked spice rack

My Italian kitchen requires every spice imaginable. Every Italian recipe has the basics (rosemary, garlic, basil, oregano) but you may add your own touch with secret spices. Be courageous and grow your own herbs. Plant in a pot or a corner of the garden. Don’t forget the large container of olive oil which is a mainstay to every dish.

1. Several large pots

You never cook for one. Maybe 100 but not one. You will need large stock pots for water, pasta sauce and whatever else you are cooking. Get basic or fancy. They have to hold a lot.