Italian cuisine’s distinctive character is due to the generous use of herbs, which are important ingredients in many dishes. Basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, mint, bay leaf, parsley, sage, and rosemary are commonly used. These herbs have health-promoting properties and can be purchased fresh or dried.
Italian cuisine has been developing for a very long time. Long before Italians had a country, they had a national cuisine. This cuisine, known and appreciated throughout the world for its delicious flavours, owes much of its distinctive character to the generous use of herbs.
Fresh, in-season herbs are pretty much the cornerstone of Italian cooking. They are important ingredients in many provincial, regional and national dishes. Particular herbs give particular aromas, ranging from delicate to spicy and from savory to sublime.
To get the authentic Mediterranean taste, you need to know which herbs to use in Italian cooking. Most of the herbs required, in fresh or dried form, can be purchased at local markets and grocery stores. They can also be grown in small gardens.
Some of the main herbs used in Italian cooking are basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, mint, bay leaf, parsley, sage and rosemary. These herbs are eaten fresh in salads, are chopped and crushed for cooking meat and vegetables, or are used in soups and marinades. The herbs are also dried and used to flavor Italian food.
Basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme and mint belong to the mint family. They are traditionally used to add flavor to a variety of tomato sauces, pasta sauces, soups, meats, fish, vegetables and salads. Mint adds a wonderful flavor to desserts and drinks.
Basil is used with garlic, pine nuts and olive oil in the preparation of pesto. Commonly used basil varieties are Genoese basil and Italian sweet basil. Oregano, also called wild marjoram, complements the flavor of basil and is used in pizzas and casseroles. Seafood is flavored with marjoram.
Both curly-leaf and flat-leaf varieties of parsley are used, but Italians seem to prefer flat-leaf parsley as it is more flavorful. Parsley is used as a side dish for salads, it is cooked with vegetables and used to prepare soups and marinades. It is especially popular when used with red meats.
Sage and rosemary are fragrant herbs and used in meat and vegetable dishes. They are added to the stuffing of chickens, lambs and suckling pigs and used to garnish salad. Rosemary gives the focaccia a memorable flavor. Bay leaves are used in dried form and are used to flavor casseroles, roasts, marinades and soups. Myrtle gives flavor to roasted meat.
In addition to the benefit of their flavors, these herbs have health-promoting properties. Their inclusion in Italian cuisine makes Italian food tasty and healthy. In general, resh herbs give the best results.
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