The Italian Pantry: 10 Ingredients, 100 Recipes – Showcasing the Best of Italian Home Cooking

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A maritozzo is an ancient delicacy from Rome consisting of a sweet brioche bun split down the middle and filled with whipped cream. It may be extremely simple, but it’s one of the most popular Italian breakfast pastries in the Lazio region. I got you my friend! If you've started reading this post, this means you're seriously obsessed with Italian cuisine. And I can't blame you! Italian food is amazing! Today, I want to tell you about a few basic ingredients. If you have them in your pantry, you can whip up any Italian recipe in a blink of an eye. The pastry is most popular in its home city of Lecce and the surrounding Salento province. However, it’s not uncommon to find them being enjoyed in cafes and coffee shops all across Puglia and wider Italy. Still dreaming of the amaretti from that beautiful artisanal bakery in Florence? Or those incredible Sicilian Cannoli you had in Taormina? That’s why we bring them to you! The pantry has many sweet Italian treats like cannoli, amaretti and Baci to remind you of your travels. And of course, we can’t forget the Gluten Free options too – you’ll find all the same delights made without wheat in our Gluten Free section. Chiacchiere are another traditional Italian carnival pastry, consisting of strips of sweet dough that puff up slightly when fried and are served dusted with powdered sugar. Chiacchiere – also called “Angel Wings”– are known for their signature rectangular shape with two slits down the middle and crimped edges. They’re delicate, crumbly, and incredibly addictive.

Flour: When it comes to flour I ALWAYS have type 00 in my pantry and minimum 2 bags...why? Because it makes the most amazing pizza bases! I'm pretty addicted to pizza and can honestly say that this is the perfect flour for making the best pizzas at home, I also use the same flour for making focaccia. After living it Italy I discovered they also use type 0 flour for pizza bases but it's harder to come by and 00 does that job. Struffoli is a type of Italian pastry made from the same simple sweetened dough as chiacchiere. But for stuffoli, the dough is rolled into small marble-sized balls then soaked in honey, cinnamon, and ground orange rind. This creates a sweet treat that’s crunchy on the outside and light on the inside. They are also sometimes referred to as honey balls.

A delicacy amongst many culinary cultures; truffles are a beautifully rich fungus that grow beneath the ground – unlike their mushroom cousins. We have a wide range of truffle products, starting with whole truffles of course, followed by an exciting range of options like tapenades, sliced truffles, truffle honey, truffle oil, green and red truffle pesto and much more! The sweet bread also now comes in many different variations, such as with chocolate chips or nuts in place of fruit, or with flavours added to the dough.

That’s our guide to the best Italian pastries your must try. Got any questions or suggestions? Let us know in the comments below. On of my favorite ways to use capers is to fry them. Frying will make them nice and crisp and perfect for appetizer toppings. They will taste like tiny little chips and who doesn't love chips?;)Fruity and a little tart, balsamic vinegar has such a versatile use. Think salad dressings, glaze for meat and fish, drizzle over your favorite appetizers. Try my Easy Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinaigrette. If you love Italian food and you like preparing it at home, you will need a few staple ingredients, which are always handy to have in your pantry, whether you want to make a simple pasta al pomodoro, or fancier creations using the wonderful foods and flavors of Italian cuisine.