Where to Go to Cook (and Eat) Like an Italian

The best thing about living in my building – other than sharing a condo with my wonderful fiancé – is the walk from the elevator to our unit.  Gently wafting out of the apartment directly across from the elevator is the smell of pure deliciousness.  All the time.  Chocolately pastries, rich, garlicky pasta sauces, cheesy, bubbling pizzas, fresh baked breads – I can go on for days.  It's like a party for my nose  each time I encounter the enticing aromas, but quite the tease for my tummy, I must say.

The geniuses behind the deliciousness are my neighbhors Gianni and Antonella, an Italian couple who moved to the U.S. from the Amalfi Coast after graduating college.  Not only do they both have full-time jobs, raise an adorable little boy and keep an immaculate home, they also cook.  Phenomenal meals.  Every night.  In an (overdue) attempt to learn my way around the kitchen, I sat down with Gianni and Antonella to learn more about their method of cooking, where they buy their awesome smelling (and tasting) ingredients and why everything they make is so darn good. And maybe, just maybe, snag a recipe or two.  (Keep reading for that).

BACK TO BASICS
“Italian cooking is about simplicity.  You want to use quality ingredients and let the flavors speak for themselves," said Antonella.  "Garlic, parsely, basil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil are staples when seasoning an Italian meal."  And speaking of seasoning, the emphasis is on fresh, not dried, herbs. “In classic Italian cooking, fresh herbs are used as much as possible, and it is incredibly rare to use more than one herb per dish," added Gianni.  So that Italian Seasoning blend on your spice rack?  Not so Italian.

Another interesting fact?  There’s no such thing as Italian dressing...at least, not the kind we see at the grocery store, according to Antonella.  “The classic way to dress a salad is with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.”  Move over, Paul Newman.  It may seem overly easy, but these four natural ingredients are better for you and allow the flavors of the veggies to stand out. 

FOUNDATIONAL ITALIAN INGREDIENTS...AND WHERE TO GET THEM IN CHICAGO
Quality, authentic Italian staples are surpisingly widespread in the city, available at mainstream grocers, so you don't even have to make a special trip.  Below is a short list of awesome brands recommended by Gianni and Antonella. 

TOMATOES
Mutti Whole Peeled Tomatoes - Cost Plus World Market 
La San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes - Whole Foods

**TOMATO TIP**: Purchase "whole peeled tomatoes" for a less processed product.

OLIVE OIL
Kirkland Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Costco 
You can also try Mariano's Fresh Market for a ton of quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil brands

**OLIVE OIL TIP**: Use "Extra Virgin" for the purest, best tasting olive oil.  And best of all?  It's unrefined, unlike its counterparts. 

PASTA
De Cecco Pasta - Most major grocery stores, including Jewel and Dominick's
Garofalo Pasta – Costco

**PASTA PREPARATION TIP**: To avoid sticky pasta noodles, cook sauce first, THEN noodles (not vice versa), and combine piping hot noodles with sauce immediately after draining.

BREAD
Pugliese Artisan Bread - Trader Joe's
Rustic Italian Bread - Whole Foods

**BREAD TIP**: Skip the butter.  Dress up your bread with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some quality Parmigiano-Reggiano.  (You're welcome).

D.I.Y. 
Looking for a simple, yet sassy pasta dish?  See below for Gianni's somewhat-famous pancetta pasta, a perfect dish for any occasion, be it Christmas Day or just another Wednesday night.   

GIANNI'S PANCETTA PASTA (serves 4)
- ½ cup cubed pancetta (½ inch each)
- ½ 1 large onion
- 1 lb. pasta of your choice
- 12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 tbs. Kirkland pesto sauce (available at Costco)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (enough to coat your pan)

- Coat a medium sized pan with olive oil.  Saute onions and pancetta cubes in pan until golden brown.  Add cherry tomatoes.       
- Cook for 5 minutes.
- In a separate pot, cook pasta until al dente and drain excess water.
- Combine pasta immediately with pancetta mixture.
- Add pesto sauce and mix thoroughly.
- Serve hot.

If Gianni's got you drooling, but you don't have the time to whip up his pasta on your own, try out some of the following restaurants in the city, recommended by Gianni and Antonella for their authenticity. Tocco Chicago has an outstanding mix of modern and classic favorites, while Davanti Enoteca has a stellar contemporary Italian menu.  And what about my personal favorite - pizza? Said Gianni,“Spacca Napoli has the most authentic Italian pizza in the city."  Count me in!

THE BOTTOM LINE
Mangia!

P.S. - If you try out the above recipe at home, shoot me a note, and let me know what you think!

@deannadugo