Some of the most famous and tastiest herbs in the world come from Italy. Some of the best cuisines come from Italy and are well known in part for their herbs. Growing your own herbs in an Italian herb garden provides a massive quantity of potential.
Basil is a well know Italian herb and useful in many Italian recipes. Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is useful in the garden to other plants. Planting basil next to your peppers and tomatoes will actually improve their flavor. Plus, basil will also keep at bay those pesky flies and mosquitoes.
Parsley is a relatively hard herb plant to grow. It is useful not only in Italian dishes but many other types of cuisines. Many generations ago before their were breath mints it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eliminated the bad breath left over from enjoying a savory cuisine. The tradition arose to serve parsley on a small dish after the meal. The custom lives today by using parsley as a garnish on an assortment of meals.
Oregano is as decorative as it is flavorful. When it is fully mature it will sprout pretty little purple flowers. Oregano should not be harvested until it has flowered because this is when the plant is at most flavorful.
Fennel is famous for its seeds that grace and enhance the flavors of Italian sausage. The interesting thing about fennel is that the plant looses its flavor as it matures. It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted every few years to savor its flavor.
Like basil, Rosemary is an Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden. It grows into a large shrub that spouts pretty little blue flowers. It helps the garden by attracting bees. Although it is a tough evergreen perennial, it is sensitive to frost.
Garlic is probably the herb that is most used in Italian cooking. No Italian herb garden would be complete without this useful herb. Garlic gloves can be planted and will flourish in just about any garden with very little attention. They can be stored to be used at a later date after they are harvested. Freezing them or pickling them to be stored in the refrigerator is some of the methods used.
Sage is used in a variety of Italian dishes from meats to salads. New shoots of the plant contain the most flavors. It is recommended not to let sage plants to get to woody by keeping them trimmed. New shoots will be encouraged to grow if you keep the sage trimmed. Sage can be harvested after it blooms.
There are many more herbs that you can include in your Italian herb garden. You do need to consider what kinds of herbs you wish to use and the growing conditions for the herbs you have selected to put in your garden. Make sure you are able to meet then needs of the herbs you have chosen for your Italian herb garden.
Italian herbs add wonderful flavors to food, but also offer so much more. Italian herbs make and incredible addition to landscaping designs. They can be shown for their spectacular colors and enjoyed for the tantalizing aromas the herbs release. By planting Italian herbs amid other plants, you will be graced with the sweet aromas straight from Italy.
By: Paul Zeman
Posts Tagged ‘Italian Recipes’
The Italian Herb Garden – A Culinary Delight
February 7th, 2010Italian Recipes – Culinary Appeal
January 3rd, 2010
It is easy to find a wide variety of vegetarian Italian recipes.
Their mouth watering menu has a wholesome mix of soups, salads, lovely pastas to crusty breads. Most cooking depends on the local rice known as Arborio and the cuisine enjoys a rich lineage of cheese.
Italians add life to their food with a variety of herbs, spices and fresh olives primarily cooked in olive oil. Tomatoes are an essential part of every day cooking.
It is well said that Italian cuisine is the mother of South Europe.
Like Indian and Chinese, Italian cuisine also has several regional variations. But unlike the rest, Italian cooking has least blending so as to preserve the unique flavour of every dish.
Sauces lie at the heart of Italian cooking. And serve as an accompaniment to almost every dish whether it is pasta, meat dish or baked vegetables.
List of popular culinary sauces
Alfredo: is a white sauce which is made from butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. However these days heavy cream is added to enhance flavour and richness, mainly in the U.S. This sauce best complements a dish known as fettuccine pasta.
Arrabbiata: in Italian for “angry”, this zesty tomato based sauce is given an extra spicy flavour due to the addition of hot chilli peppers. This sauce best complements any plain pasta recipe, but is best enjoyed with penne pasta.
Bolognese: also known as ragu alla Bolognese, which translates into a robust meat based sauce from Bologna Northern Italy, the place of its origin. Made with an assortment of fresh vegetables, herbs and meat (beef) ingredients lend it a typical dark shade. Lastly a bit of wine, cream and seasoning is added to further concentrate flavours. Usually tossed with pastas or drizzled and served.
Carbonara: originated during the World War II and has 2 distinct versions. One is American (much richer) and second Italian. Made with eggs, cream, Parmesan and bits of bacon, this sauce is cooked any type of long pasta such as spaghetti, linguini, or fettucini.
Marinara: classic Italian tomato sauce made, which serves as a versatile base for many great Italian dishes. This sauce not only pairs well with pastas, but is also used as a dip for finger foods, topping pizzas, burgers and sandwiches.
Italian Sauce Recipe
Neapolitan collective name for the various tomato based sauces derived from the Italian cuisine. These can be a wonderful addition to pizzas, pastas topping for sandwiches etc.
2 tbsp – Olive oil
1 1/4 – Tomatoes drained diced
1 No – Onion diced
1/4 tsp – Garlic
1 No – Bay leaf
1 tsp – Dried thyme or oregano
2 tbsp – Red wine (optional)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Set a pot of water to boil. Add tomatoes to it. Blanch for a few minutes and remove.
Peel slice and set aside the tomatoes.
Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic, bay leaf and gradually stir in the tomatoes.
Add the wine and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over a low flame for 10 minutes.
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By: Shveta Kumar
