Cooking Terms

A

Al Denté

Past cooked a little less than usual. This gives the pasta a harder texture and the english translation is "Hard to the bite".

B

Baccala

This is dried codfish, either salted or sundried. click here for baccala recipe

Biscotti

Italian cookie often hard in texture and lightly flavored with anise.

Bruschetta

Garlic and Olive Oil topped toasted bread topped with chopped Tomatoes and Basil.

C

Cacciatore

An Italian combination meat and vegetable dish (ie: Chicken Cacciatore) in which vegetables are cooked in a hearty sauce with meat.

Carbonara

Traditional pasta sauce consisting of garlic, eggs, and bacon served over pasta click here for carbonara recipe

Carpaccio

Thinly sliced whole beef tenderloin topped with a mustard - mayonnaise sauce.

D

Dolce

It can mean sweet and is also means "a dessert"

E

F

Focaccia

Italian pizza dough often topped with olive oil, herbs, garlic, and cheese.

Fritto

Fried, deep-fried

G

Gelato

Ice cream

Genovese

Beef stew made with onions and tomato sauce (often used as a pasta sauce)

Giardiniera

Pickled vegetables usually preserved in a mason jar.

H

I

Imbrogliata

Scrambled

Indiavolato

Spicy

Integrale

Whole wheat

J

K

L

M

Marinara

A pasta sauce traditionally made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil. Variations: Capers, pitted black olives, crushed red pepper or diced chile pepper. The sauce first originated from Naples after the Spaniards introduced the tomato. The word marinara is derived from marinaro, which is Italian for “of the sea.” Because of this, many people mistakenly believe marinara sauce includes some type of fish or seafood. However, marinara sauce loosely translates as “the sauce of the sailors,” because it was a meatless sauce extensively used on sailing ships before modern refrigeration techniques were invented.

Mosto

Pure, unrefined fruit juice used in wine and liquors. Grape mosto is used for winemaking as well as for flavoring many Italian sweets and meat dishes. There are other types of mosto too: malt mosto can be used to make beer, apple for cider, and cherry and prune for brandies and liqueurs.

N

O

Ossobuco

Ossobuco is made of braised veal shanks. Oven baked in a vegetable tomato sauce. Usually served with a side order of pasta.

P

Pancetta

Found in the fat belly or cheek of a pig, consisting of alternating layers of fat and lean tissue. It can be rolled, aged, salted or smoked.

Q

R

S

Sauté

Sautéing is cooking food quickly in the right amount of oil and/or butter over high heat. You can use a skillet or saute pan, but make sure it is big enough to comfortably contain what you are cooking.

To preheat you need high heat when sautéing to cook ingredients quickly, otherwise the internal moisture tends to push to the surface and your ingredients won’t brown.

Butter or oil?

Butter will give your food the best taste and a wonderful golden crust but burns more easily. Olive oil produces a nice crust and will not burn as quickly, but also doesn’t leave as rich a flavor or color as butter alone. So, the Reluctant Gourmet uses a combination of the two. What you cook and the amount you’re cooking will determine how butter and oil you use.

T

Tomato tips - How do you get rid of the acidity?

Due to the high level of acidity the best method to neutralize is to add a table spoon of sugar for a serving of four.

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Zabaione

This dessert is made by whisking egg yolks with sugar and dry marsala wine in a deep bowl until a rich cream forms. Variations include the use of other sweet wines like Moscato, Vin Santo, Prosecco, and port.

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Friuli Venezia Giulia