Some Essential Ingredients for Italian Cooking

The security director at Navillus Health, Nicholas Tagarelli previously served the Port Authority of New York and the New Jersey Police Department for over three decades. In his leisure time, Nicholas Tagarelli enjoys cooking Italian food.

Typically, Italian food requires fresh produce and other seasonal ingredients, which make meals taste better and provide better nutrition. For instance fresh basil can add flavor to a pizza or pasta, and the herb serves as a main ingredient for fresh pesto sauce. Fresh tomatoes serve as the core ingredient for many red sauces.

Some prepared ingredients used for Italian cooking include olive oil, prosciutto, and cheeses. Each oil has its own subtle but distinctive taste and olive oil gives the flavor recognizable in food from Italy. A popular meat in Italy, prosciutto requires a lengthy curing and drying process that results in a tender more flavorful meat that can be sliced thinly. Italian cheeses range from mozzarella to the regionally-crafted Parmigiano-Reggiano made only around Parma and crafted according to strict guidelines.