Italian Cooking Recipes Are Rich and Delicious
Italian cooking is incredibly popular and it is definitely among the richest and most varied anywhere in the world. There are a few really great Italian cooking recipes that are ideal to try, even for someone who has never cooked Italian food before in their life.
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp is a very popular Italian food and shrimp scampi is definitely one of the most widely loved Italian cooking recipes. For this recipe you will need 1 ½ pounds large shrimp, 1/3 cup butter, 4 tablespoons minced garlic, 6 green onions, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
To prepare this dish you start off by rinsing the shrimp and setting it aside. Then you want to heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic for a couple of minutes until softened and then add the shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice. You want to cook the shrimp until they are pink and firm, which should take about one to two minutes on each side.
Keep in mind that the trick to this recipe is to not overcook the shrimp. You can add a lot of extra garlic but make sure not to overdo it because you do not want to overshadow the taste of the shrimp. The dish is often served over pasta, but can also be served on its own with some crusty bread.
Spaghetti with Mussels
Another of the most popular Italian cooking recipes is spaghetti with mussels. Not only is this considered one of the most delicious Italian cooking recipes, but one of the easiest to prepare.
For this recipe you will need 3 pounds fresh mussels, 1 bay leaf, 6 peppercorns, 2 whole cloves, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 3 quarts water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 pound spaghetti, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 cup stewed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon fresh basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper.
You begin by scrubbing the mussels under cold water and removing the beards and draining. Then you add the mussels, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves and wine together in a large saucepan or kettle. Cover this mixture and bring to the boil and then cook this over high heat until the mussels open. This takes about five minutes, but times will vary depending on the cooking element.
Finally you add the garlic and cook briefly, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, broth and spaghetti and then add the mussels. Stir and heat for a moment and serve hot.
These Italian cooking recipes are just two examples of what authentic Italian cooking is all about.
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