8 January 2009
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Cook Italian

Ever wished you could make your cooking taste like a ‘proper Italian’? Chef Gino D’Acampo has all the advice you need on how to perfect the basics. It’s easier than you think if you follow Gino’s instructions - then try out your new skills by cooking one of his traditional Italian dishes.

Interview

How do I make a basic Italian tomato sauce?

It's very easy - you will need an onion, a good quality olive oil and tinned chopped tomatoes. Use a good brand; you will notice the difference in the sauce if you use good quality ingredients and canned tomatoes cost nothing. The most expensive ones cost only around 50p. Chop the onion very finely and shallow-fry it in the olive oil. Once it is golden brown add the chopped tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, stir and simmer for five minutes. It's as simple as that!

What do you think of pre-packaged pasta sauces?

Some of them in jars they are actually good, but make sure you go for one made in Italy, and if possible from a smaller company. Italians are a bit fussier in the production of pasta sauces, and you will have a good chance of it being a better product. You only need a little bit of sauce. You should be dressing the pasta, not drowning it in the sauce.

What kind of oil would you recommend for cooking?

We use basic olive oil to cook with and extra virgin olive oil to dress, so if I'm cooking a tomato sauce I use the basic olive oil but if I'm dressing a salad I use the extra virgin.

How do I make a fresh pesto sauce?

The basic ingredients you will need are: fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan or pecorino cheese, salt and pepper. Put the basil leaves into a blender with the pine nuts and salt and pepper. Add the oil slowly while you are blending, until you create a creamy smooth paste. Dress the pasta with the pesto and serve with parmesan cheese if you wish. Yesterday I had pasta with pesto and I chopped some good quality black olives on it. You can use it on fish, and meat, whatever you want.

What pasta would you recommend - dried pasta or fresh?

Dried pasta is the best as it's the easiest to use and to store. The secret is that you need to cook it in plenty of salted boiling water. Make sure it is al dente by trying it after five minutes. If it's not done, cook it for longer. Don't just boil it for the length of time it states on the pack. I prefer the Italian pasta brand of De Cecco for some shapes, as well as Barilla and La Molisana.

How do I make basic fresh pasta?

Take one kilo of flour - make sure you use a strong '00' flour - and with that use one egg, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and some salt. Keep working it until you get a nice firm dough, adding a teaspoon of water if necessary. Then put the dough through your pasta machine and cook it straightaway. It gets sticky very easily so if you are not going to use it straightaway you must dry it by hanging it up like washing on a line.

How do I make the topping for a pizza?

Just canned tomatoes, garlic, oregano and a bit of salt and pepper. You can add on top of that mozzarella and anchovies, but a traditional pizza is very light. Pizzas in Britain have too many poor-quality toppings and the dough is too thick.

Where is the best place to buy Italian food?

Either an Italian deli or a good market such as Borough Market or Spitalfields in London. You can find a nice Italian stand, where they can guide you through all the traditional Italian produce. Supermarkets aren't any good!

What is your idea of the perfect Italian meal?

I would start with some kind of antipasti, like bruschetta, parma ham, sliced mozzarella, salami and olives. Main course - I always tend to go for pasta. Something very simple like pasta with pesto or arrabiata with tomato and chilli, or with bacon, pancetta, onion and tomatoes. Desserts - Italians in general don't go for anything heavy. I go for fresh fruit salad, or pears with parmesan cheese - peel a pear, slice it, and have it with little block of parmesan cheese. Italians from the south eat lots of fruit - pineapples, peaches, melons, pears, watermelon, apricots, strawberries and cherries. The difference is we have fruits when they are in season, unlike in Britain where people eat them all year round, so there is no taste. They are like a dessert as they are so tasty. In many Italian restaurants you will always find a fresh fruit salad. It's much healthier!

What is your idea of perfect coffee?

It has to be espresso; Italians only drink cappuccinos in the morning, and rarely after 10am. The British haven't got the right idea with coffee; they drink cappuccinos after dinner which is essentially a shot of coffee and the rest is milk. The last thing you need to drink after a good meal is milk. An espresso helps the digestive system; it has caffeine in it which helps the circulation, which in turn helps the stomach digest food better.

Is Italian food 'healthy'?

Italians use olive oil rather than butter, and not much double cream. Our dishes are healthier, particularly pasta with tomato or sauces with sun-dried tomato paste, olive oil and garlic. We rarely use cheddar cheese or fatty sauces, and Italians steer clear of deep-fried food. Italians' diet is based 60% on vegetables; we don't just boil our vegetables like the British! We also take time to eat, and we eat properly at the table. Here you eat fish and chips on the sofa, drink beer then have a chocolate mousse and a milky cappuccino and you wonder why you're not healthy!