Bona Furtuna Salted Capers
Made in Sicily, these high-quality Aeolian capers—preserved and packed in crunchy sea salt—begin on bushes that have been growing for centuries. They are tended to until flower buds bloom, before being picked and then cured. Plump, not dried-out and beautifully vegetal green, Bona Furtuna’s capers are salted rather than brined, unlike most store-bought brands where acid is the main taste you are left with. The salty punch from these capers is balanced with subtle notes of delicate citrus and herbs, a mixture of nuanced flavors that will enhance any dish. Just be sure to rinse and soak them for 30 minutes before use to mellow their saltiness.
Olivieri Fungi Secchi Porcini (Dried Porcini Mushrooms)
The flavor and appearance of many supermarket brands of dried porcinis can be dirty, muddy, or overpowering, but these high-quality mushrooms from Piedmont, Italy, are anything but. Cleaner, richer and more savory, with a distinct buttery, earthy essence, these dried porcini from Oliveri look more like slices of actual mushrooms rather than typical shriveled, twisted pieces. And we found the clean, woodsy taste was everything a mushroom should be. Once hydrated, they become meaty and tender and can be used in recipes in place of fresh mushrooms, for soups, sauces, risottos and more. Their soaking liquid can also be strained and added to a dish for a more intense mushroom flavor.
Masseria Mirogallo Diavolicchi Hot Peppers in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
It’s no secret that we love chilies at Milk Street, and the diavolicchi from Masseria Mirogallo are some of our favorites. Their name comes from the Italian word for devil because they are said to be hotter than hell, but they also have a bright flavor and sweet finish. Hand-selected and packed into jars with only wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil produced from the same farm on which the peppers were grown, diavolicchi's piquancy will define and sharpen a dish’s flavors. Use to cut through a starchy pasta dish, clarify a rich braise or stew or heighten sauces. And don’t throw out the oil! It’s terrific in vinaigrettes or used for sautéing vegetables, seafood and eggs.
Pasta Mancini Spaghetti alla Chitarra
Traditionally made by pressing pasta dough through wires stretched over a frame, Spaghetti all Chitarra is a classic Italian favorite. Italian artisanal producer Pasta Mancini extrudes its version of Spaghetti alla Chitarra through unique bronze dies, based on traditional knowledge that bronze equipment yields porous, rough-surfaced pasta that helps sauce cling to the noodles. This chitarra pasta has a satisfying chewy texture that falls somewhere between spaghetti and bucatini; its square cross-section has slightly more surface area than cylindrical noodles, so it holds onto sauce amazingly well. Made from local, freshly milled semolina flour, the pasta is slow-dried over the course of days to better preserve its robust flavor and texture.
Sfoglini Cascatelli by Sporkful
Otherwise known as “little waterfalls” in Italian, cascatelli was created to be an accessible pasta option that enhances the eating experience with maximized “forkability,” “sauceability” and “toothsinkability.” Made from high-quality North American wheats and slow-dried for over nine hours, Pashman’s succeeds in hitting all three categories. We love that it has a good toothsomeness and clean pasta flavor, plus there are no eggs in the dough which keeps it from being too rich and tender. The thing that really sets apart this experimental pasta shape though is the texture. Not only do the ruffles, frills, right turns and curved shape keep sauce clinging on, but each bite becomes a sensory experience for your mouth too. This pasta is the perfect form to serve with a chunky sauce, Rather than finding bits of sauce at the bottom of your bowl like you would with other kinds of pasta, cascatelli will hold on effortlessly.
IASA Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil
The succulent anchovy fillets from family-owned company Ittica Alimentare Salerno (IASA) are nothing like the one-note over salted versions most people are familiar with—rather, these anchovies taste like the ocean they came from and still retain a meaty texture.
Acetaia Leonardi Silver Medal Balsamic Vinegar
While Leonardi’s Gold Medal Balsamic Vinegar is one that we use sparingly, we use this high quality, well-priced Silver Medal version for everyday use. With its bold, sweet, tart and heady flavor, it will elevate any dish. And unlike many other balsamics, the viscosity that this vinegar offers allows it to coat and cling to foods better than lower-quality varieties. It has a strong grape must flavor that is instantly recognizable as good balsamic vinegar. Plus, it comes in a pretty bottle housed in a lovely sleeve that makes it gift-worthy for your favorite cook.
Cascina Oschiena Farro (Emmer)
Emmer, also commonly known as farro, is an ancient type of grain, triticum dicoccum, that is similar but different from wheat. This sustainably sourced variety comes from Cascina Oschiena in Italy, and has a mild, nutty flavor. Similar to light brown rice, it’s used frequently to make risottos, but can also be ground to make pasta and bread. We liked this farro best because it displayed a toothy chewiness expected with farro, while still being tender. Plus we found the flavor more pronounced than other brands. The pearled farro cooks up into large individual grains, with a smooth texture, fluffy without being mushy. Ideal for grain salads, risottos or soups.
U Salaturi Colatura di Alici (Anchovy Extract)
Colatura di alici is a traditional anchovy extract from the area around the fishing village of Cetera in Campania, Italy. The amber-hued liquid is intensely flavored and akin to garum, the Roman fish sauce. It’s a quick, simple way to add savory umami complexity and a hit of brine to dishes. But don’t worry—it’s not too fishy, like some other brands can be. We love the body it gives to a starchy pasta: bright, salty and savory—it truly adds so much to a dish.
Casa Firelli Italian Hot Sauce
The Italians heard how Americans love to top their pizza with a dab of hot sauce, so they developed this one in Parma with Italian ingredients so we could do it right. The nose is vinegary and vegetal. And on the palate, it’s incredibly complex. It has a moderate heat level from fruity roasted Calabrian chilies balanced with sweet, bright balsamic for acidity and porcini mushrooms for umami depth. Plus, the bottle has a smaller opening, so you can shake out just as much as you’d like and not a drop more.
Bona Furtuna Nepitella (Tuscan Mint)
An herb that grows wild across Italy and rarely grown by farmers, nepitella (also known as calamint) recalls the aromatic freshness of mint with a touch of basil and oregano. It’s been incredibly popular in Tuscany for adding to food and drinks for centuries—particularly in soups and pasta sauces and dishes with meaty, earthy mushrooms. This one, though, is cultivated in small amounts in sun-dappled Sicily by a master botanist using traditional practices. The gently dried leaves have a bold, minty taste with very noticeable earthy herbal undertones: oregano, thyme, lavender basil and licorice. Compared to standard dried mint, it’s stronger and more earthy and herbal. Where mint can be sweet, this is savory. Where mint is bracing, this is earthy.
De Carlo Sun Dried Tomatoes Pomodori Secchi
While many supermarket versions of sun-dried tomatoes packed without oil (just bagged like these) are often too tough and leathery, the ones packed in oil are usually too slimy and slick. When we first saw these, we were struck by how juicy, tender and plump they appeared through the packaging. The texture is wonderful—not too dry straight from the bag, but also rehydrated nicely and stayed wonderfully chewy after sizzling in some oil as well as soaked up vinaigrette beautifully. They can also be eaten as-is, without the soaking. They have the same deep tomato flavor with a good kick of saltiness. Regardless of how they are prepped, the rich and super savory tomato flavor is undeniable. Slightly sweet, intensely savory and aromatic. These start out with a lovely plumpness, much more pliable and soft than most of the dusty old tomatoes you see hanging on shelves in the grocery store.
