Italian Food For Idiots

‘Italian food is the best food in the world’ is a phrase I hear often, spoken – of course – by Italians.

It is true that Italian food is loved universally. A new pasta restaurant or pizzeria seems to open every week. Have you ever met anyone that didn’t like pasta, pizza, gelato?

What is it exactly about this cuisine which makes it so endlessly appealing?

A certain amount of it is the pride and the passion the Italians have for their food which is contagious. Regardless of its indisputable and dependable deliciousness, how can you fail to fall for something which other people love so passionately, unless you are completely heartless?

Trust me, in the three years I have lived here I have tried to fight it, but it’s fruitless. The Italian’s passion for their cuisine is all-consuming. It bleeds into every aspect of Italian life.

One of the downsides of this fierce love is that it can potentially make people feel excluded. Us non-Italians can feel intimidated by all that pride and passion, by all that insistence on regionality, and the potential complications and kit required to recreate these dishes at home.

Well, I’m here to tell you, Do Not Be Afraid. Italian food is the most accessible cuisine there is. Most dishes only require the number of ingredients you can count on one hand, and (unlike many modern recipes) you will not have to go out of your way to source Sumac, Miso or Tahini.

Italian food is for everyone, everywhere, anytime, exactly because it is so simple, and because it is food made at home by home cooks: Mums and Grannies for their children and grandchildren. It’s the best, most comforting home cooking, how can you not fall for that?

Italian (specifically Sardinian) local, Letitia, will be guiding us through the fundamental dishes of the Italian Kitchen. No nonsense cooking that delivers flavour and satisfaction without breaking the bank or your balls. Keeping it easy, fast and flavourful, this is Italian cooking for everyone.