COOKING TIPS

My goal is to encourage everyone to get into the kitchen to cook, and have fun! So, this section is all about a few basics tips, and some of the questions I am most frequently asked: Should I add oil to the pasta water? Can you use olive oil for all your cooking? How do I pan fry? And more!

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO: Handle your Parmigiano Reggiano right, and it will keep its flavourand texture for a few weeks. Mishandle it and the cheese will dry out, lose its texture and its flavour, and become extremely tough, if not impossible to grate. To prevent that: once you've taken it out of its original packaging, wrap the cheese tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. Rewrap the cheese with a fresh piece of plastic wrap after every use to ensure a tight seal. You can also store it in a zip-lock bag with all the air squeezed out. Another important tip: Only grate your Parmigiano Reggiano as you need it. If it's grated in advance, the cheese will lose its flavor.

EGGPLANT BITTERNESS: Eggplants, especially larger, older eggplants can be bitter. To get rid of the bitterness, cut the eggplant into fairly thin slices. Put them in a colander and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt. Let that rest for an hour, so the bitterness sweats out, then rinse the eggplant slices under cold water and pat dry. Congratulations! Your eggplant is now bitter-free and ready to use.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: People always ask me if I use extra virgin olive oil for all my cooking and frying. The answer is YES! It's all I use. I would suggest having several on hand. One for frying, and a more premium Extra Virgin to use on salads and for drizzling lightly over food just before serving. Some people choose a different olive oil for each use. Like wines there are different blends, with different flavours. Just make sure whatever you buy is extra virgin.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil should be used within 18 to 24 months from the production date. If you want to be absolutely sure, look for olive oil that has been stamped with the date when the oil was pressed, as well as the expiry date. Once you get it home, keep your olive oil in a cool, dry place.

TOASTING PINE NUTS: It takes no time at all and is worth it: Toasting brings out the nuttiness. Best method: toast your pine nuts in a dry frying pan on medium heat. As soon as they start turning slightly brown, remove the pan from the heat. Keep an eye on it. The pine nuts can burn very quickly.

CLEANING MUSHROOMS: Don't clean your mushrooms until you are ready to use them. Remove any bits of the debris on the surface, and gently wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth, paper towel, or soft brush. You can rinse, if you want, but I don't recommend that. I find they absorb too much water.

DRIED MUSHROOMS: These are full of concentrated flavor and should be used more like a seasoning than a vegetable. Generally, you'll need to soak the dried mushrooms for about 30 minutes. Put them in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. After 30 minutes, take them out of the water and they're ready to be used in your recipes. Don't throw out that soaking water. I like to use it in my risottos and sauces. It adds an intense mushroom flavour.

GARLIC: To prevent Garlic from burning or getting bitter, leave the garlic skin on the cloves when frying or roasting in oven.

PASTA BASICS:

		Pasta should definitely be prepared just before serving.
		Use a tall pot and no more than two thirds full of water so when it comes to a boil the water does not overflow.
		Always make sure the pot is large enough, with enough water to accommodate all the pasta. That means that when the pasta is fully cooked there is enough room for both the pasta and water to move freely.
		Salt the water generously just before the water is at a full boil. The salt needs to fully dissolve before the pasta is added.
		Only add your pasta to the water once it is fully boiling and stir immediately, and then a few more times in the first two minutes. This prevents the pasta from sticking together.
		Do not cover the pot.
		Do not add oil to the water.
		Cook the pasta until soft on the outside and still firm in the middle. This is `al dente'.
		When you drain the pasta, save a few tablespoons to a quarter of a cup of the water from the pasta pot. Add this along with the pasta to the pan with the sauce. On high heat cook the sauce and pasta together for a minute or so. The starch in the pasta and cooking water, will thicken the sauce and help it stick to the pasta. Serve immediately. PAN FRYING BASICS:

		Make sure the pan you're using is large enough for the amount of food to be cooked.
		Before you put your food in, make sure the olive oil is hot, otherwise the foods will absorb the oil, get heavy and will not crisp up and become golden brown. (I don't use a thermometer. I test the temperature of the oil by dropping a bread crumb into the pan. If the crumb hisses, your oil is ready.)
		Before frying meat or poultry, remove any excess surface moisture by patting dry with a paper towel.
		After frying: Put your breaded or battered foods on absorbent paper towels to absorb the excess oil, before serving.
		Salt your fried foods right out of the pan, while still hot.

DAVID ROCCO | DAVID ROCCO’S DOLCE VITA | AVVENTURA WITH DAVID ROCCO