So where did pizza come from? Have you ever wonderedwhat its origins are?

The ingredients that are the basis of the  pizza as a culinary dish have their roots firmly founded in the sunny climate of Southern Italy around the city of Naples. This was historically a Greek colony rather than Italian.

Pizza is first mentioned in Roman literature around the 3rd century by Cato the Elder who records a flat and round piece of dough that was dressed with a combination of olive oil, herbs and flour with cheese and honey. This was cooked upon stones, according to translation.

Pompeii, the infamous doomed city that was devoured by the ash and smoke of Mount Vesuvius, also had the remains of several buildings resembling modern pizzerias.

Roman Pizzas

Pizzas back in Roman times were very little like modern day pizza in the least. The bread would have been more likened to the modern focaccia bread still popular in Italy and around the world, and tomatoes weren’t known to them as they were not imported from the Americas until centuries later. Instead it is recorded that pigs blood and honey were popular pizza toppings, a pretty horrible thought in today’s times!

Pizza Following the Introduction Of Tomatoes

Tomatoes originated in the Americas and were brought to Europe in the 16th century. For a long time the European public was nervous of the tomato thinking it to be in some way poisonous! However, by the 18th century the poor areas of Naples in Italy began using them to bulk up their bread and to add flavour. This was the humble beginning of  the modern day pizza.

It became popular for visitors to Naples to venture into the poorer districts in order to try out the local’s new dish.

The Pizzeria Emerges

The popular way to sell pizzas before the 1830′s had been by means of street stands outside of or near to the pizza bakeries. Naples, not surprisingly, saw the very first pizzeria. It was called Antica Pizzeria Port’ Alba. It was described in those days as the food of the humble people in Naples and consisted of bread, oil, tallow, lard, cheese, tomato or anchovies. Today’s pizza is very removed from those days and the choice of toppings is huge. Glad to say the use of tallow and lard have ceased down at your local pizzeria!

By: Stevie Jones

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Discover the pizza recipe secrets to making restaurant quality pizzas every time.. Pizza Recipe Secrets Uncovered

Vegetarian Pizza Topping Ideas: Gourmet And Easy Meatless Pizza

Pizza toppings aren’t confined to pepperoni and pineapple. There are plenty of vegetarian pizza topping combinations that can make a pizza exciting. 

Omniamare: Where You Need To Be

There were pizza toppings of goat cheese, feta, and prosciutto, an avocado, cilantro, a pear, half an onion, an old artichoke, salad greens. I heated a skillet and dropped the sliced pear in with a dash of brown sugar, then covered it.

Send Your Pizza South Of The Border – Slashfood

For a long time now, I’ve been dreaming of guacamole on pizza. I’ve done the meats, seafood, and vegetables, the spicy and mild, the thick, crust-crumbling toppings and the less-is-more toppings, and I’ve even subbed pestos for tomato 

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The secret to good Alfredo sauce is a combination of ingredients and technique. Unlike many Italian dishes, Alfredo sauce is extremely rich, having the base ingredient as cream.

This makes this dish an excellent alternative to the standard red sauces and meats normally associated with Italian meals.

When you go to make your Alfredo sauce, you should make certain you have all of your ingredients prepared in advance. The procedure of making the sauce goes by very cursorily, so you would want to make sure you have everything nearby in order to avoid the risk of scorching your cream while cooking. As scorching the cream is the most common cause of ruin of an Alfredo dish, this simple preparation can preempt disaster.
The common ingredients of standard Alfredo sauce are stated below:

Heavy Cream White Salt Pepper Parsley Parmesan Cheese Butter

Cooking times and amounts may vary from recipe to recipe . Again, ingredients may be altered depending on whether or not there are attempts at making the Alfredo more healthy. Because Alfredo is so heavy on cream, butter and cheese, it is often considered as a treat or avoided on many diets. Once you have your ingredients prepared, there are several things that you can do to prevent ruining your dish.

1: Get your Pan Ready
Scorching Alfredo is only the first of the risks. By carefully preparing your pan by pre-heating and cooling the pan a little bit with water, you can prevent the cream from scorching. As soon as the cream is poured into the pan, it should be done off of the heat, returning the cream after it must have been warmed in the pan.
2: Do not forget to stir frequently
Reducing cream by half requires patience and dedication.Alfredo is not the kind of sauce you can preserve for quite a long time. Only make your Alfredo sauce when you can dedicate your time to it. This will prevent your cream from burning.
3: Do not add cheese when sauce is on the burner

A general mistake is for individuals to add the butter and cheese to the sauce while it is still on the burner. Do not make this error unless the recipe says otherwise. The most common recipes do not add cheese or butter while the cream is on the heat, because this can lead to the sticking of the cheese to the pan or the butter to cause the cream to separate. While mainly affecting aesthetics and lengthening cleanup time, it can also affect the flavor of the dish.
4: Do not prepare your Pasta in advance
It is best to eat Alfredo as soon as it is prepared. Before you start cooking, have your water for your pasta already prepared, and the amount of pasta you want cooked put to the side. Start boiling the water part way through the sauce making process so that your Alfredo sauce and pasta finish at the same time.
5: Add toppings

Alfredo sauce is flexible. Excellent with many  Italian meats and seafoods , as well as with vegetables, one can simply turn Alfredo into a course meal. Prepare any toppings in advance, and warm them on a grill prior to serving. In the case of zucchini and other vegetations that do not sit well, put them on the grill or in the frying pan just as the sauce is nearing completion.

More on  cooking italian recipes with Alfredo sauce here:

Favorite Flavors: Alfredo Sauce

My Favorite Flavors series continues with Alfredo Sauce. If you’ve ever had the real thing, you know what a fabulous combination of flavors and textures a hand made Alfredo sauce brings to the table.

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

Cover and Cook 17 minutes. Remove lid, add broccoli all over top and cover and cook 3-5 more minutes. Pour Alfredo sauce all over top, and top with mozzarella cheese. Alfredo Sauce: 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese 8 oz cream cheese 1/2 cup milk..

Solution to Thin Alfredo Sauce Dilemma?

So, whenever I try to make an Alfredo sauce, it never comes out thick enough to actually coat the noodles. It’s usually thin, with clumps of cheese (the recipes I’ve tried have called for Parmesan, which doesn’t seem to melt…

Asparagus and Ravioli with Dijon Alfredo Sauce

I’ve been making this recipe for Dijon Alfredo Sauce for years.

Alfredo Sauce – Learn The Cooking Tips

The secret to good Alfredo sauce is a combination of ingredients and technique. Unlike many Italian dishes, Alfredo sauce is super rich, having the base ingredient as cream. This makes this dish an excellent alternative to the standard.

Article By: Ferdinand Okeke

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Ferdinand Okeke is the author of A Beginners Guide To Cooking With Seasonings Also he has a new book How To Make Gourmet Sauces At Home

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Many people enjoy growing herbs because they are easy to grow and a lot of fun. Using them in you cooking can make even the most humble meals seem like a gourmet treat. 

Fresh herbs are fantastic in italian soups, vegetables, breads, and stews . Herbs change the flavor of these items in may different and exciting ways. You completely change the taste whenever you add an herb.

When you first start cooking with herbs, experiment a lot. Add a little bit, here and there, see what works for you. Eventually you will get the hang of it and can easily go nuts mixing and matching flavors. Some herbs just seem to go naturally with some foods,  tomato with basil, oregano with sauces, rosemary with lamb , chives with butter or sour cream. This is just to get you started. Try all kinds of mixes and matches to see what works. You can infuse vinegar with herbs to make salad dressings, marinades or soups. You can infuse oil with herbs to add extra flavor to your cooking.

You can use fresh herbs as garnishes such as chives on your potato salad or rosemary spigs on lamb chops. The possibilities are limitless and delicious.

In the fridge, fresh herbs will last for several days. After that you have to freeze them. You can freeze them by laying them on a paper towel and putting them in a plastic bag. Oncce they are frozen you can only use them for cooking but not as a garnish. A good method for preservation is to wash them, put them in an ice cube tray, cover them with water, and then freeze them. When you need them for soup, stew, or a sauce, just drop a cube in.

My favorite herbs to grow are basil, oregano, lemon balm, parsley and mint. Mint is great but be careful, mint can over run your garden. A tip here would be to bury an empty coffee can and plant the mint in it. The can prevents the mint from "creeping" all through your garden.

Herb butters a great thing to make with fresh herbs. Mix together half a cup of softened butter and about 4 tablespoons of a fresh herb. Take a pice of saran wrap or wax paper and put the butter in the middle. Roll up your paper to form a log. Put it in the fridge. Whenever you need some extra oomph for you food cut a pice off the end. This is great on potatoes, bread, steak, noodles, or anything else you would put butter on.

Uses of herbs are not limited to the culinary. You can make a natural face mask from basil, lemon, and avocados (this would also make a great topping or dip). Put a big handful of basil in a blender and run it on high. Once the basil has been pulverized, throw in a half of an avocado and a large teaspoon of lemon juice, mix until smooth. Wash your face, pat it dry and gently rub the avocado mixture on. Leave it on as long as you like, then use warm water to it wash off.

By: Jayson Inman

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Jayson Inman is a retired postal worker and a lifelong gardener. Check out his blog, Southern Gardening to find out where to buy herb seeds and other great information about what you could be doing in your backyard.

Herbs, Spices And Seasonings 

I cook a lot of Italian Style foods and have noticed many Italian Seasonings of a blend of different herbs on the market. I have at times even used Italian Salad dressing mix for a quick sauce, seasoning for meatballs, a marinade

Tenderloin and Tomato Towers with Toasted Goat Cheese and Balsamic 

The goat cheese I had was a little crumbly, so I took it all out of the package and made it into a couple of little patties before breading them. I seasoned the bread crumbs with salt, pepper and ground Italian herb seasoning.

From The Italian Kitchen: Make your own "Italian Seasoning"

For those of you who don’t know exactly what Italian Seasoning is, it’s a wonderful blend of herbs commonly used in authentic Italian cooking. Different varieties are available, and you can create your own custom blends

Tips to Make Caprese Mini Sandwiches

Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of dried mixed Italian seasoning herbs like oregano, basil, marjoram etc. Bake the bread for 8-10 minutes or till the edges becomes golden brown with the melted cheese.

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If you know how to prepare Italian cooking, it can be a great way to enjoy food. Here we have some tips and techniques for how to do tasty Italian cooking .

Having the proper ingredients is the key to what makes Italian cooking what it is. Olive oil is an essential to Italian cooking. Not only is it used as a cooking oil, it is also used to flavor dishes. Extra virgin olive oil is recommended. Tomatoes are another key ingredient. When available you should use fresh tomatoes over canned ones. However canned tomatoes can be used.

When using canned tomatoes the whole peeled tomatoes are preferred over crushed or chopped. Garlic is used, but use it sparingly to lightly flavor dishes. Pasta imported from Italy is the best for your Italian dishes. If your recipe calls for egg pastas, then use homemade egg pasta or buy it dried in nest form. When making risottos finding the proper rice for it is essential. Arborio is recommended although Carnaroli or Vialone Nano can also be used. These types of rice are what give risotto their creamy texture. Dried porcini mushrooms are also essential in Italian cooking. This ingredient is great in pastas, risottos, sauces, and stews because of their terrific flavor. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is another essential ingredient because of its impeccable flavor. This cheese can be grated or served on the table as a hard cheese.

Knowing how to cook pasta is what makes great Italian cooking. Be sure to follow the directions on the package. Always make sure the pasta is cooked in enough water. It is recommended that you use four quarts of water for eight ounces of pasta. Cover the pot and bring water to full boil before adding pasta. You can leave the pot uncovered while cooking the pasta, and only use a pasta fork to stir the pasta. Start testing the pasta for doneness a few minutes before the recommended time to avoid overcooking. It is done when there is only a speck of white left in the center of the pasta. Drain the pasta, but do NOT rinse. Return the pasta to a warm pot or skillet with sauce in it. You can add salt to the water for pasta if you would like. Salt does add flavor. However if pasta is being paired with sauce it is not necessary to add salt.

Italian cooking of meats is done over the stove. Brown the meat in olive oil or butter with wine. Loosen scrapings from pan. If using wine remember that alcohol evaporates so lower heat on the pan and simmer meat until tender.

A great Italian meal comes in several courses. The first course is usually a soup, pasta, or risotto. The second course is a meat. The meat can be chicken or fish and is served with a vegetable and followed by a salad. The dessert course is usually a fruit. Once in a while a sweet treat is offered. These tips will help you make  a delicious Italian cooked meal .

By: Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Paula Radmall is an cooking enthusiast as well as an author and editor for CookWithEase.com . Paula enjoys the cooking and teaching about the fun and art of cooking and baking.

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