The Beautiful Simplicity of Italian Home Cooking

When we think of Italian food, many images may come to mind. It may evoke memories of a nice dinner out at that Italian restaurant in town, or a simple plate of pasta. Italian food takes a simultaneous residence in polar opposite spheres of high-end cuisine and easy home cooking. Yet, it has oddly come to be one-dimensional in two disparate worlds. In both ways, what we lose in these solidified perceptions is the appreciation of the people, history, and love that’s so integral to Italian home cooking.

Being second-generation Italian, I've always been curious about Italy's food culture. After recently seeing my own relatives in Italy, I was able to understand the country's strong, deep culture entwining food and family. My cousins, aunts, and uncles all used food as a means of connection—using it to form a common ground between us. They all wanted to share their favorite recipes and regional specialties, wanting me to experience the same love they have for their cuisine.

Having this deep, personal connection with those tied to Italy allowed me to see another dimension of the country's cuisine—people. Seeing the individualized side of it all caused me to reflect upon how Italy's beautiful cooking shines through those who are deeply passionate. 

No one exemplified this as much as my cousin Lola—a spirited, loving home cook, who pays as much attention to her food and ingredients as a professional. Enthusiastically talking about the best prosciutto—Prosciutto di San Daniele—tomatoes, and genuine Italian olive oils, she shared a couple of her family recipes she uses for easy meals. Having two lovely young boys, Lola makes these simple recipes to feed and satisfy even the pickiest eaters. 

On the outside, these recipes may not seem particularly different from those you've seen before, but their beauty lies in their preparation, ingredients, and rusticity. As they are Lola's basic recipes, they are easily made together, by themselves, or with other meals. Try the pasta alongside roasted chicken or the meatballs together with roasted vegetables. After making these, you are sure to fall in love with Italian home cooking.

Pasta al Pomodoro

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:1 hr
• Total Time:1 hr 10 mins
• Servings:4
• Easy

Ingredients

• Two 28 ounce canned tomatoes or 3 pounds fresh tomatoes stalks quartered
• 16 ounces dried pasta—spaghetti fusilli or penne are ideal
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 handful coarse sea salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 5 basil leaves fresh
• 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan

• Step 1

  If using canned tomatoes, place them in large pot along with can juices.
  If using fresh tomatoes, place them in a large pot with two fingers of water (about 1 inch from the bottom). Add salt and sugar.

• Step 2

  Place pot over high heat, without a lid, for 10 minutes. Turn down heat to low and let tomatoes break apart.

  

• Step 3

  Use an immersion blender to puree tomatoes. Alternatively, you can either blend tomatoes or break up as much as possible with a spoon.
  Simmer tomatoes over low heat and reduce sauce until desired consistency. If you prefer a fresh, juicy sauce, cook for about 30-40 minutes. If you like a more intense tomato flavor, cook for at least 45 minutes.

• Step 4

  Bring water in a large pot to a boil. Add handful of coarse salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook pasta until very al dente, about 4 minutes for spaghetti.
  Reserve 1.5 cups pasta cooking water. Strain pasta and set aside.

  

• Step 5

  Add sauce to a large pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Add pasta along with about 0.5 cup reserved pasta water. Toss and cook, until sauce is glossy and clings to pasta, adding more pasta water 0.25 cup at a time if necessary.

  

• Step 6

  Toss in butter and stir to combine. Before serving, add Parmigiano Reggiano and decorate with basil leaves.

  

Polpette della Nonna (Grandma's Meatballs)

• Prep Time:20 mins
• Cook Time:15 mins
• Total Time:35 mins
• Servings:4
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 3 slices brioche loaf
• 0.5 glass milk—slightly more than 0.5 cup
• 1 scant tablespoon nutmeg ground
• 1 scant tablespoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 ounces grated parmesan
• Extra virgin olive oil

• Step 1

  Tear up brioche slices in large bowl. Add milk, salt, nutmeg and mix together.
  Leave bread to absorb all milk, at least 10 minutes.

  

• Step 2

  Mix together bread mixture, turkey, egg, and parmesan.
  With your hands, form little or medium round balls and then squash them slightly.

• Step 3

  Add a generous amount of oil to a wide pan. Cook with a lid over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
  Serve on your favorite dish of pasta or alongside any meal.

  

As you make these recipes, the amorphous rusticity of Italy's food comes to life. With the tomato sauce singing of lightness and the meatballs dancing with richness, you'll find that both recipes evoke a lovingly pure, yet rigorous character that's a benchmark of Italian home cooking. Make sure to enjoy them with those you love because no Italian meal is ever without wonderful company.