Food
October 20, 2015
10+ Italian Pantry Essentials For Easy Dinners
Chef Eron Novalski of Aria Ristorante shares the pantry ingredients he can’t live without.
Between the quick-cooking pastas and satisfying sauces, Italian cuisine tends to be our go-to favourite for simple and delicious dinners. Knowing which ingredients to keep on-hand can make whipping up an Italian-inspired meal even easier, so we asked chef Eron Novalski of Aria Ristorante in Toronto to share his list of must-have pantry staples. If you want to bring the authentic flavors of Italy to your own kitchen, take a cue from chef Eron and stock up on these products.
THE BASICS:
Good quality Italian olive oil
Sea salt
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Dried chilies
Italian Saffron
Callipo Jarred Tuna
THE EXTRAS:
Canned Pomilia Plum Tomatoes or any San Marzano D.O.P. (Denominazione d’ Origine Protetta or “protected designation of origin,” meaning the product is from Italy) tomatoes: “Look for the D.O.P. certified stamp on the label for optimal flavor.”
Pasta di Gragnano dried pastas: “The Paccheri shape is great for a fish or seafood ragout.”
Agostino Recca Salted Anchovies: “You can find these at Italian grocery stores.”
Vine-ripened cherry tomatoes: “Harvest Wagon in Toronto brings them in from Pachino, Italy.”
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena: “I always recommend looking for something D.O.P. certified from Modena.”
Caputo or Divella Flour: “I use this flour to make fresh pizza dough or pasta.”
1. Paul Massey 2. Yuli Scheidt
1. House & Home September 2015 issue 2. Yuli Scheidt via Instagram 3. Aria Ristorante