The Top Accessories for Every Budding Italian Cook

Is there anything more synonymous with Italians than cooking? Italy is known not only for its beautiful cities and countryside, but it is also famous for its food. Italian cuisine is among the best anywhere, and if you’re looking for some tips to bring that magic into your own kitchen, you’ve come to the right place. This blog will discuss the must-have kitchen tools any true Italian cook couldn’t do without.

Colander
It’s pretty tricky to cook pasta without one of these! A big, good quality colander is one of the staples that should be in any
kitchen but is especially important for cooking Italian dishes in which pasta has a starring role. Don’t forget to save a little of the pasta water when draining to ensure they don’t stick together!

Pasta Maker
Speaking of pasta having a starring role, how about making your own? While the store-bought boxed stuff is fine in a pinch, nothing compares to homemade pasta. Step up your Italian cooking game with a pasta maker so you can make your own fresh spaghetti, fettucini, lasagna, and so on. A surefire way to impress any guests!

Ravioli Cutter
Who doesn’t love a good ravioli? Whether you want to fill yours with cheese, meat, or vegetables, a ravioli cutter will make it much easier to create perfect, attractive squares of ravioli.

Gnocchi Roller
A fun kitchen gadget you won’t find in most American kitchens, but is important to an Italian cook. Making homemade gnocchi is easy and fun, but without the roller to create the trademark ridges in the dumplings, the sauce will have a difficult time sticking to your delicious, freshly-made gnocchi.

Cheese Grater
If this isn’t already in your kitchen, it should be! Italian food is usually heavy on the cheese and bagged varieties purchased from the grocery store just won’t do. Grate your own for every Italian recipe that calls for it, and you’ll definitely notice the difference.

Mezzaluna
Another item you won’t find in most kitchens, a mezzaluna is a half-moon shaped knife that’s beloved by Italian cooks for its versatility. The unique shape allows it to finely chop herbs and vegetables with ease – invaluable for making delicious Italian sauces from scratch.

Wooden Spoon
Now this is one simple cooking tool you likely already have in your own kitchen. The wooden spoon has been a longtime favorite of Italian cooks. Wooden spoons are used to stir sauces, rice and/or risotto, and pasta. A surefire way to feel like a true Italian cook is to taste your homemade sauce-in-progress right off the wooden spoon!

While all of these cooking accessories can help you feel like you have an Italian kitchen at home, you won’t always feel like cooking. For the days you don’t, treat yourself to a meal of real Italian cooking. Ristorante Carpaccio specializes in authentic Northern Italian cuisine. Our lively Tuscan-inspired atmosphere and delicious menu options will make us your go-to Italian restaurant when you don’t feel like making a mess of your own kitchen. Buon appetito!