No Italian cookbook? You can turn your computer into an Italian Cooking School faster than you can say Stromboli. Master the art of Ravioli & Lasagne from your PC.

Everyone loves Italian Food, don’t they? From mouth watering Italian sauces to hearty pasta dishes like Ravioli, Stromboli and Lasagne; Italian cooking can please almost everyone’s palate.

Italian Kitchen

In order to master the art of Italian cooking, you’ll need to make sure your pantry is stocked with the basic essentials of Italian food. Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil are very important ingredients in Italian Cuisine. In fact, a little loaf of Filoncino (Classic Italian bread) and a side of Oil and Vinegar are one of the most common appetizers at Italian Restaurants.

A variety of cheeses, like Mozzarella, Provolone, Fontina and Asiago are imperative. Also necessary are regional vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. Short grained Arborio rice for Risotto and grains like Semolina Wheat for homemade pasta and cornmeal for polenta. Fresh and dried herbs like Rosemary, Oregano and the ever most versatile Basil are staples in an Italian kitchen. Cured meats like Proscuitto and Pepperoni are also important. Never underestimate the importance of a selection of Italian Wines.

Italian Utensils, Gadgets and Tools

What do Italian Chefs have in their kitchens? An Espresso machine is definitely important, but you might also want to pick up a garlic press, an oil and vinegar carafe, a cheese grater and pasta press. You’ll also want some spunky serve ware and a good corkscrew. There are several resources online for Italian cookware. A reputable site is the Italian Cooking Supply Company.

Italian Recipes

Of course you're going to need recipes. Unless you grew up in an Italian Kitchen with Nonna Isabella whipping up batches of fresh Semolina Pasta and Crushing Basil for Pesto sauce, you'll need handy, easy to understand recipes. Better Homes and Gardens has several kitchen tested articles on their website. Learning to cook Italian by using easy recipe collections helps a novice learn the terms familiar to Italian Cuisine and helps build up a personalized Italian Cookbook.

Once you’ve tried the beginner recipes, you might want to graduate to the next level, and try a few Authentic Italian recipes, click over to ItalianFoodForever.com Their Recipe Section is arranged in such neat categories that even a beginner can learn to cook Italian, starting with their “basics” section, then moving into some simple pasta dishes.

Italian Desserts

Italians are known for their desserts. For everything from pastries to gelato, cakes and cookies the best resource for learning how to make Italian desserts online is definitely Mangia Bene Pasta. Their recipes aren’t the slightest bit intimidating. They are, however, lacking pictures. Many Cooks thrive on pictures and Anna Maria Volpi has created some fantastic step-by-step illustrated recipes. If there were an Academy award for Italian Recipe Pictures, Anna Maria Volpi might win the lifetime Acheivement Award.

Graduation

If your Online Italian Cooking School has you begging for more, you can always further your education by enrolling in a ten week course at Ital.com for only $11,900 pounds. For less, there are companies offering cooking vacations; an opportunity to visit a culinary region in Italy and learn to cook the local cuisine. What better way to justify the expense of a trip to Italy than to share the flavors of Italy with family & friends. Who knows, you could be the next Mario Batali.