Secrets of an Italian Chef

Sylvia creating her masterpiece

Earlier this week I realized one of my food dreams. Sylvia, a fellow  classmate, came over and prepared an authentic Italian dish for myself and another classmate, Nima. Sylvia, who is from Genova, Italy, cooked pasta with mushrooms, bacon and a light cream sauce. (YUM!) I observed while she cooked the scrumptious meal and learned a few secrets that she is allowing me to share.

1. Italians don't over-indulge in olive oil. When I cook, I use a hefty share of "EVOO," especially when preparing an Italian dish. In doing so, I was committing a cooking foul. Sylvia's secret is to let the natural juices of the ingredients provide their own oil and flavoring. She used no more than a tablespoon of oil for the entire meal. The calories saved were later spent on double chocolate cookies and cold, sparkling Mumm!

2. Parmesan does not make everything better. We didn't use any and we didn't miss it...

The finished product

3. Salt is your friend. Personally, I'm an extremely timid salt user and tend to shy away from its use at all. For Italians, salt is the secret to al dente perfecto pasta. The salt helps the water maintain it's heat while cooking the pasta and provides a subtle flavor to an otherwise bland noodle. The salt will also help release the natural flavor of the pasta. Don't be afraid to throw in the salt- and in this case, there is no such thing as too much.

4. Garlic can be over used. Justin and I LOVE garlic, but Sylvia is not a fan. For our dish she used one small, uncut clove, and disposed of it before we feasted. Honestly I didn't even notice the absence of garlic.

Nima enjoying the pasta

5. Stop and enjoy the food. Put down your iPhone and turn off the TV! Somewhere along the way, we Americans have lost the tradition of family dinners. These days we are so busy that we eat only for the sake of eating. For Italians, meals are used as meetings of friends and family. And the company is just as important as the food. They linger over dishes while enjoying the flavors of their meal and get lost in conversation. Food is a tool of joy.

In the words on Sylvia, food is gorgeous. Buen Apetito!