People regularly ask me for recommendations: from which culinary classics to have on their bookshelves, to which ingredients to keep in their cupboards, or what utensils are best for certain techniques. So, as a Pasta Grannies team, we thought it was about time to share a few of our favourite things. Each week, on the Pasta Grannies blog, we’ll share a few key items we’re loving.
Last week in this section we spoke about the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Our favourite things, or as we liked to call them ‘Grate Expectations’ was a post which focused on the small items which can help finish a dish; from the slight to the sharp, and a few other things in between. This week, we’re focusing on the more ‘sung’ heroes—the noisiest bits of kitchen equipment.
What’s the noisiest utensil in your kitchen? Mine is a 30 year old freestanding ice cream maker which went with me to South Africa in 1996, returned to the UK 2 years later, then made the trek to Italy, where it groans and creaks away, producing marvellously smooth sorbets still. (Do try David Lebovitz’s chocolate sorbet.)
What item makes everything that little bit smoother in your kitchen? What gadget really pulls its weight? I reckon for a lot of cooks, it’s the food processor. Although our grandmothers rarely used processors, and often spent hours making things from scratch by hand, we know that for many recipes, a blender can save you a lot of time and energy. So, if you fancy taking a shortcut, speeding things up, (or maybe just giving that wrist a rest for once), here’s some suggestions from us to mix things up.
STOCK
Items we regularly have on shelves in our pantry
What tins do you always have in your cupboard? For me, it’s cannellini or butter beans. If I’m looking for a nutrient dense snack, but want something tasty without having to make a trip to the shops, I’ll blend them together with some garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil, to make a creamy dip which I can scoop up with whatever bread or, if I’m entertaining, I’ll top with fancy herbs and serve alongside
some marinated, grilled lamb. I tend to serve these with some flatbreads for an impressive looking, hassle-free spread.
How do you like to use your beans? I also love to pair them with pasta. Check out Farmer Elisabetta’s video where she adds white legumes into this dish with Calabrian greens, or head to the mountains with 97-year-old Antonia for tagliarini with borlotti-style beans.
MAKE
The best kitchen gadgets and gizmos to make a family-style spread.
I never took to a goblet blender, there’s too much faff scraping down whatever it is one is trying to puree. And food processors are usually too large for the task when cooking for two like I am. Hence I have a mini Cuisinart one. Michaella, however, loves the Tefal Blendforce; it’s extra- durable with a good range of power settings. Plus, the blades are removable, and many of the individual parts are dishwasher safe so there’s minimal arguing about the washing up!
My mother has a 45 year old Kenwood mixer, so I’m loyal to the brand and it is what I use for mostly for cake and bread making. But the stick blender sees more everyday use. The KitchenAid set comes with ends for every use you can think of (and even those you can’t). It’ll have your eggs whipped ready for a meringue before you can even utter the word ‘stiff peaks’.
ENJOY
Other things we’ve been enjoying inside or outside of the kitchen.
Linda our social media manager loves to eat pasta between editing Pasta Grannies reels. She can be found stirring a lunch time carbonara or (if she’s tighter on time) opting for the Ligurian classic of pesto trofie.
Of course, she never uses pesto from a jar; she makes it herself. It’s a recipe her mamma taught her. And after she managed to break their family pestle and mortar, she now uses a food processor to get the perfect consistency. The rest of the team have given it a try, and we can attest, it’s some of the best we’ve ever tasted. Try it for yourself here.
Please note that all these items are real recommendations chosen at our own discretion, and not a result of paid placement. Sometimes, however, we may include affiliate links)
