Fresh Italian Herbs Make The Best Italian Food

Traditional Italian food uses only fresh ingredients including fresh Italian herbs. There are a variety of fresh herbs common in Italian cooking. Most people 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.

How can you tell the difference between and herb and a spice?

The leaves and stems of aromatic plants are called herbs, and the root, seeds, bark or fruit is called a spice. Herbs have fragrant oils which give Italian food its wonderful flavor and aroma.

Some typical Italian herbs are: oregano, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme and sage.

Basil is a member of the mint family, and like all mint herbs, it is extremely fragrant when picked fresh. Italians traditionally tear basil leaves by hand right before tossing them into a dish or sauce because basil has a tendency to turn black when cut with metal. Basil is what makes pesto so flavorful.

Oregano is another popular herb in both Italian and Greek food. Most of us are familiar with this herb in meats and Italian tomato sauces.

Italian Parsley, also known as flat-leaf parsley, is readily available in most grocery stores and is easy to distinguish it from the curly variety frequently used as a garnish. Italians favor this parsley for cooking because it has a much better flavor, while the curlier variety is best saved for garnishing your dish.

Rosemary is another widely available herb and resembles a little branch from an evergreen tree. This herb is quite fragrant and can retain its aroma and flavor after drying. Excellent in vegetables, this herb can also be kneeded into bread dough such as focaccia.

Sage has long, broad leaves and is the herb which 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 is another herb of the mint family, but in contrast to the other mints, it has tiny leaves that can easily be thrown whole into your sauce or dish. This herb is great for cooking because it goes well with just about everything and won’t overpower your dish.

There are some basic rules for cooking with fresh herbs. A good general rule of thumb is to use 1 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.

Whenever you want to spice up a dish, try adding some of your own fresh Italian herbs!