There’s Italian food and there’s American Italian food. Italian immigrants adjusting to American ingredients perfected the latter. As for theformer, it’s still savored every day in Italy – and can easily be in your kitchen, too!
When you start thinking Italian, zesty salad dressing, Fettuccine Alfredo and garlic bread are three classics that probably come to mind. But you won’t find the versions you’re used to in Italy. Try the slightly different, authentic versions described below. Easy to prepare, you may find them even more delicious. So get a little adventurous in the kitchen. Prepare some fabulous authentic Italian flavors with help from Il Villaggio!
Real Italian Salad Dressing
The type of “Italian dressing” found at the grocery store isn’t on the menu in Italy. Instead, fresh green salads are doused in salt and pepper and a flavorful blend of olive oil and vinegar and often topped with ultra tasty grated hard cheeses. The freshness of the ingredients is highlighted with extra crispness and flavor, especially with freshly grated Il Villaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Fettuccine Alfredo
If you love this dish, you may be sad to know the American version bears litte resemblance to its original inspiration. Fear not though, because a real Italian Fettuccine Alfredo is often called fettuccine al burro and is fresher, lighter and more delicious. Adding lots of fresh Italian cheese and ditching the cream found in the American version is the key. Butter, cheese, pasta, water are all you need – just toss when the pasta is its hottest for a lovely texture substitutes flavor for the creaminess you’re used to. Mixing the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano keeps all the flavor and ditches the heaviness and excess calories.
Garlic Bread
Don’t pass the garlic bread – pass the bruschetta at your next Italian feast. Garlic bread has its place, but it’s often just too salty and heavy to be a worthy prelude to a savory Italian meal. Bruschetta replaces butter with fine olive oil, features a crunchier, garlic rubbed bread with fresh tomatoes, grated cheese and herbs.
