Italians insist upon fresh ingredients in their food, and their herbs are no exception. There are a variety of fresh herbs common in Italian cooking. Most Americans are familiar with the little bottles of dried herbs from the grocery store, but if you haven?t prepared food with fresh herbs, you really need to give it a try.
What?s the distinction between an herb and a spice?
Spices are made from the seeds, root, fruit or barks of aromatic plants, while the herbs primarily consist of the leaves and stems. Herb plants contain oils which are very fragrant and add the distinctive aroma and flavor that Italian food is known for.
A few of the most common herbs are basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme.
Basil- Is a member of the mint family, and like all mint herbs, it is extremely fragrant when picked fresh. Basil leaves blacken when exposed to metal, therefore it is common in Italy to tear the leaves by hand before throwing the basil into a sauce or onto a dish. Basil is the primary herb for the famous pesto sauce.
Oregano- Is another popular herb in both Italian and Greek food. Most people are familiar with this herb in tomato based pasta sauces and with meats.
Parsley ? Italian parsley is also called as flat-leaf parsley. It is readily available in most grocery stores and it is easy to distinquish it from the curly variety frequently used as a garnish. Italians favor this parsley for cooking because it has a better flavor, while the curlier variety is best saved for garnishing your dish.
Rosemary - This herb is widely available and resembles a little branch from an evergreen tree. This is one of the most fragrant of all the fresh herbs and it will retain its flavor and aroma when dried. It?s excellent with vegetables and is often cooked into the dough of breads like focaccia.
Sage ? This herb has long, broad leaves and it?s the herb that flavors the traditional Italian Saltimbocca dish. Sage is also very fragrant so be sure you don?t use too much and overwhelm your meal.
Thyme- Another herb of the mint family, but in contrast to the other mints, it has tiny leaves that can easily be thrown in whole to your sauce or dish. I use a lot of this herb because of its mild flavor that goes well with everything and won?t overshadow the rest of a dish.
There are some basic rules for cooking with herbs. The oils in dried herbs are concentrated and you need to use a smaller amount of dried herbs than fresh in your recipes. A good general rule of thumb is to use one tablespoon of fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried herbs needed in a dish. But remember, cooking is an art and you can use as much or as little as you like. Fresh herbs, on the other hand, can lose some of their flavor when cooked too long. For slow cooked sauces and meats, you can add the fresh herbs at the last minute so their flavors and aromas stay intact.
The next time you want to spruce up an everyday meal, throw in some fresh
Italian herbs.
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