Italian seasoning

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

On my continous surfing on the net, I often find recipes that call for italian seasoning.
Being Italian, i wondered what is "italian seasoning" just because we do not have it here!
I've found Italian seasoning to be a mix of dried herbs:
MARJORAM, THYME, ROSEMARY, SAVORY, SAGE, OREGANO, AND BASIL.

There is nothing wrong with it, those are all herbs we commonly use in several diffrent dishes but we use those FRESH.

Everyday italian cooking can be defined as KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid.
So what is the best way? Use always "in season" products.
You will not prepare a caprese salad with dried basil, or ravioli with butter and sage if you do not have fresh sage.

Belive me, a Pizzaiola sauce with fresh oregano has a different taste, and you will not feel that little bitter backtaste.

Cooking a roasted chicken? extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh rosemary, pinch of salt and guess what? freshly ground pepper. You really do not need anything else.

Bon apetit.
Guido
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paulamathers · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject:

i think its probably more of a psychological thing really, if someone buys "italian seasoning" it might seem to them that they are making a dish that is "more italian" than if they used the fresh basil, etc, and thats probably what the manufactuers play on. i used to use italian seasoning when i made bolognaise, but now i use fresh basil and black pepper as seasonings only. it tastes much better, and i put that down to the fact that the basils fresh rather than dried

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

Funny! Bolognese sauce (we call it ragù here in Italy) has no basil in it Very Happy

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paulamathers · Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject:

here theres a brand called Ragu, they do tomato and white sauces for bolognaise, lasagne etc. i didnt realise it actually meant something!

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

you can check the original recipe here
http://www.yummyfood.net/recipes-id651.html
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paulamathers · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:41 pm Post subject:

thankyou x

carol · DishWasher Joined: Oct 23, 2006 Posts: 18

Is it not just because most Brits are LAZY!!! ?

If we are cooking a sterio typical Italian meal (whether it is really actually italian or not!) the easiest example being a pasta dish, we grab the italian seasoning assuming it is actually itialian thefore must go with Pasta!?

also we buy dried herbs becasue they 1. take up less room, 2. keep for practically for ever, 3. sometimes cheaper and 4. because a lot of us are lazy and would rather just take off the lid and pour some in rather than chop soem (even though most of us dont realise we're meant to 'bruise' them rather than chop)

LAAAZZzzzzzzzzzzzEEeeeeee Question

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

I'm sorry but your statement #2 is very wrong.
dried herbs don't last forever
check this post:
http://www.yummyfood.net/ftopict-266.html
But I agree, often is only a matter of lazyness.
The easyest experimet you can do ( if you want to waste some time)
make a pesto with fresh basil, and the same sauce with dried basil.
I'm 100% sure the second one will go in the rubbish....
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paulamathers · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:33 pm Post subject:

i thought that dried herbs lasted forever before i read kates post. i agree that people are more lazy now, but things defiantely taste better with fresh herbs