Italian Pantry Essentials

Photo: Iain Bagwell

High-quality ingredients are key to Italian cooking—the better your olive oil, tomatoes, and cheese, the better the food.

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Photo: Iain Bagwell

Italians ask for and eat only what's in season, and they eat a lot of it. Locals shop outdoor markets daily for the freshest produce or grow their own. Restaurants supplement entrées with plate after plate of contorno, or peak-season vegetable sides, depending on the time of year. But it's simple additions that really characterize this outstanding cuisine—what are very commonplace ingredients come together for extraordinary results. Learn which details lie at the heart of Italian cooking.

See More: Italian Vegetable Recipes

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1. Olive Oil

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Essential not just to Italian cooking, but to Italian life. I often call for a drizzle of good-quality olive oil to finish a dish—the flavor is so fresh and it just ties everything together.

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2. Legumes

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Many canned versions aren't overly salted now, and dried beans are so easy to cook. If you have chickpeas, onion or garlic, and tomato puree, you have a meal in hand.

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3. Canned Tomatoes

Italian Pantry Essentials: Canned Tomatoes

Photo: Iain Bagwell

When fresh aren't in season, look for good whole canned tomatoes like San Marzano or diced tomatoes packed in their own juices, not a heavy puree (these can taste tinny).

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4. Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Italian Pantry Essentials: Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Photo: Iain Bagwell

I freeze leftover rinds for adding to soups and stews. You get a lot of flavor out of something most people would discard.

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5. Crushed Red Pepper

Italian Pantry Essentials: Crushed Red Pepper

Photo: Iain Bagwell

The dried equivalent of the hot peppers found in my family home of Abruzzo, steeped in oil or delivered whole with a pair of scissors for snipping over dishes. I put them on everything.

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6. Anchovies

Photo: Iain Bagwell

You could probably get along without them, but why would you want to? Look for Spanish or Italian anchovies at gourmet stores, delis, or supermarkets.

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Italian Pantry Essentials

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Italian Pantry Essentials

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