The Well-Stocked Pantry: An Italian Palette

The key to effortless cooking is to make sure you have a well-stocked pantry. Having a kitchen filled with the right staples will ensure that you can always make a good meal, even at the last minute. While you still need a weekly shopping trip to the market to collect fresh produce, dairy items and meats, having all the most basic ingredients tucked away in your cabinets will make both shopping and cooking much easier.

Since there is nothing more daunting than staring down at a recipe with more than 10 ingredients, it is important to realize that most of those items can be stored for up to a year (some, indefinitely) in your pantry, at the ready. To get you started, we have divided the ideal ingredient list into different categories, so you can choose items from among them to create your own “perfect pantry.”

SEASONINGS & SPICES

To maximize the flavor of food, it is important to have a variety of seasonings readily available.

• Kosher salt and/or briny sea salt for taste & texture.
• Peppercorns (for a peppermill): no powdery, pre-ground stuff!
• DeLallo Nonpareil Capers: versatile & common to Italian cuisine. 
• Pine nuts: pesto must-have.
• Minced garlic is an ok substitute for fresh cloves.
• DeLallo Flat Fillet Anchovies.
• DeLallo Piquillo Peppers (roasted or grilled).
• DeLallo Sun-dried Tomatoes.
• Dijon Mustard: great for dressings & marinades.
• Canned tomatoes: crushed, diced or peeled for sauces, soups & stews.
• Cooking wine: both white & red. (Simply, wine you would enjoy to drink!)

OILS & VINEGARS

Diversify your oil and vinegar collection with those that suit your cooking, dressing and baking needs.

As for oils:

• In the pan: a basic, pure olive oil for frying or sautéing, as most of the flavor cooks off.
• Dress it: extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on finished dishes like pasta, salads or grilled vegetables, where you can appreciate its fabulous flavor.
• Un-Olive: neutral oil such as grapeseed for cooking, deep frying or baking that won’t flavor your food.
• Nutty flavor: toasted seed oils such as seasame and hazelnut to lend a heady flavor to vinaigrettes, soups and vegetables.

*To enjoy flavor, it’s best to reserve special olive oils (those that are herbal or peppery) to consume un-cooked, or “raw”.

As for vinegars:

• Balsamic: great for marinades, vinaigrettes, vegetables & reductions.
• Go golden: a balsamic with less intensity of color & flavor.
• Wino: wine vinegars, both reds & whites.

PASTA & GRAINS

Pasta comes in all shapes and sizes; many sauces are unique to particular cuts, so keep a variety of starches in your cupboard.

• Twisted or cupped pastas capture chunky sauces.
• Longer cuts do well with oil-based sauces that absorb flavor.
• Small-grained soup cuts.
• Arborio rice for creamy risotto all year long with each seasonal harvest.

LEGUMES

Because of their unlimited shelf life and source of healthy protein, these delicious & versatile beans are must-have pantry item. Legumes are great in soups, pasta, cold salads and dips:

• Cannellini beans
• Kidney beans
• White beans
• Chick peas (garbonzo beans)
• Lentils