Italian food is so much more than pizzas topped with mozzarella, olive oil, and tomatoes. This cuisine has an ornate depth and has revolutionized the world with their take on food. Be it the classic risotto or the infinite takes on pasta, the possibilities never stop. If you are a fanatic for their food and wish to cook the classics, this article covers three utensils that every luxury Italian must have to perfect the star dishes.
Cooking Italian food is an art form that needs the right materials. Our article focuses on three key utensils: the ever-so-famous wok, a pasta machine, and a rolling pasta pin.
Buyer’s Guide
To perfect a skill, you must have the key essentials. As for any kitchen, cooking can only be enjoyed when such items live up to their name. And what better way to ensure it, than to get Italian made kitchenware.
Material
This is the most important fundamental to any kitchen item. There is an old saying that kitchen tools get better as they age. Functional fluidity and seasoning enhance with time, especially in the case of woks.
So, instead of getting those cheaper deals that break or start to rust after a few uses. Go back to the Italian roots and get items Italian made. They are built with the promise of living up to the cuisine’s potential.
Make note that kitchenware is a booming industry, and good quality items do not come cheap. But once you have the right tool in your hand, it will suffice for many years to come.
Durability
It is all about how a tool sustains to the tasks put in front. Kitchen tools get the most impact, clanking on the stove or the constant clatter in the sink. Not to forget the vigorous ladle/spoon/spatula manipulation the on-stove products must bear.
With all that said, pick something that can hold its ground to rough use, does not rust easily, and acts as an extension of your arm. During cooking, you should not have to worry about an item’s fragility, but to focus on getting the most out of it.
Numerous times we have seen cheap plastic or silicone added with too many screw holes in such items. The durability only suffers from such items as they break off easily and can get you in a blink of an eye.
Lastly, know that not everyone can be delicate with their maneuvering. Your kitchenware should deliver when it comes to forces exerted by you and must not destabilize from the base.
Easy to handle
Remember this rule, especially in an Italian kitchen. Simple will go a long way. Discard all the bright colored plastic junk that comes with way too many barbie-sized side pieces and get something sturdy.
Easy handling means easy cooking. The best items, in a Luxury Italian kitchen, will serve multiple functions. Everything below is made to be exquisite in their simpleton Italian ways.
Maintenance
Once you get done with the meal, it's the endless cleaning that haunts almost every chef. Due to constant or prolonged use, one must keep their maintenance in check. The item must not require for non-reusable plastic counterparts, such as the handles of numerous items in your kitchen.
Moreover, it should not become a headache, once the time to renew its goodness comes. Lastly, before making your mind into purchasing an item, investigate its renewal period and how costly it will be.
Made In?
The kitchenware mentioned below is made in Italy. Why do we emphasize on this? If you wish to learn a country's cuisine, get things that originate from the very place. This way, you will connect to their culture on a whole new level.
No one else will know the technicalities that go into making such things, only they will. The very country will understand the minor intricacies that tie together a tool. Rip-offs may come cheap to you, but that is all they are. Cheap, and will not give you the intended flavor of Italian dishes.
Here's what you may find in a luxury Italian Kitchen
1. ZWILLING Madura – High-Quality Non-Stick Wok
The wonder wok, by Zwilling, can be a dream to work with, when deep frying Arancini or Cannoli, or stir-frying pasta. In addition to that, this is also great for quick and easy sauce reductions, stir-fried sides, soups, and even steaming food.
To aid its multi-purpose use, this Italy made wok is not only PFOA free, but it also has a 4-ply durable, non-stick coating. No more sticking of vegetables or rice, as the non-stick surfaces make them glide through. So, whatever metal utensils you wish to stir your food with, go straight ahead, it will not harm the rough and tough surface.
It also has rolled edges, to keep the contents inside, and manage dripless pouring. The diameter measures 12inches and is perfect for couples, wanting a quick and easy fix to their meals. The material used to craft this wok is a rough and tough forged aluminum core that allows even and fast heat-up of the wok.
Not only will your wok be ready to cook in seconds, but you can also pop it into an oven up to 150 degrees Celsius! (300F) As for clean-up, the water-based lacquer avoids any flame marks and can be easily washed.
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Pros:
- Non-stick surface is easy to clean.
- Well balanced structure, easy to maneuver.
- Oven safe usage.
- Quick and equal heating of metal.
- It can be used on a variety of stoves.
Cons:
- Does not come with a lid.
- Can make small servings in one go.
2. Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine, made in Italy, Silver
A Luxury Italian Kitchen simply cannot function without fresh pasta. Marcato Atlas has the perfect gadget just for that purpose. No one can beat the authenticity of this gadget or the pasta it manages to make.
This pasta maker is crafted from a chrome-plated steel body along with nickel-plated rollers. These are quite sturdy and are seamlessly adjusted. You can make different pasta types, ranging from noodles to long lasagna sheets, that are too in 9 different thickness regulations on the dial.
This dial works great if you like to transition towards the required thickness, as opposed to reaching it abruptly. As for the structure overall, it shouldn’t be compared to the cheaper versions that tumble on a slight amount of force.
This pasta maker can be mounted on the table with hand-crank and clamps, which further gives stability and better distributes the forces exerted while making pasta sheets. To provide relief to your muscles, the handle is lighter in weight and is made from ABS plastic, ensuring your hand's secure grip.
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Pros:
- Corrosion and rust-resistant materials add to function.
- It comes with 9 different pasta thickness options
- A solid weighted structure adds to stability.
- The handle is lightweight plastic to provide ease to the user.
- Easy to clean, as wheels can be slid out.
Cons:
- Additional attachments for further pasta attachments are sold separately.
- It can be a nuisance to clean in between blades, which needs a brush.
3. Fante’s Pasta Pin, The Italian Market Original Since 1906
Taking hand-made to a whole other level, this pasta rolling pin is going to change your Italian-craving life. (For the better, of course!) If you are a fan of flat pasta, then this is the pin to pin to your bucket list.
Known for the accentuated softness and ability to make tangible sheets of thin flat pasta, Fante’s Pasta pin is a must-have if you have the spirit of a luxury-loving Italian. This pin is manufactured from beechwood and measures up to 12 inches in length.
This pin can roll out 10, half-inch wide flat pasta noodles in one go. The side handles give the user adequate space to place their hands and have optimum control. With the ease of handling and the lack of confusing counterparts, this rolling pasta pin is a must-have for a quick and easy fresh pasta fix-up.
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Pros:
- Handles to help with navigation through the pasta sheet.
- 10 strips are made in one go.
- All pasta strips are equal in size, thanks to the grooves.
- Easy to clean and handle.
- Lightweight, no setup of machinery required.
Cons:
- If not cleaned properly in between grooves, fungus, or bacteria can accumulate.
- Cutters aren’t as sharp, like that of a metal pasta maker.
Conclusion
The Italian goods mentioned above are great too start your Italian Cuisine journey. They will company you for a long time to come and help rejuvenate the love for Luxury Italian food. Consider Italy made products for their cuisine as they were specifically built for this cuisine by their original residents. The latter has been putting these items to use for generations.
