Italian Ingredients | Made al Dente - Stories & Essentials from the Italian Pantry

INGREDIENTS

Behind every dish is a hero ingredient. Here, we explore the soul of Italian cooking by highlighting the origins, uses, and cultural context of the key elements in your kitchen. Think of this as your guide to understanding and respecting the essence of Italian cuisine.

Vegetables of Italy: Tropea Onions, Sweetness from Calabria’s Coast

Discover the sweet, fragrant Cipolla Rossa di Tropea from Calabria’s coast — and how to choose, cook, and celebrate this IGP-certified onion.

Cans of red and yellow cherry tomato passata

Summer in a Bottle (or Can): A Guide to Pelati, Passata, and More

Taste the difference between Italian canned tomatoes — from pelati to pomodorini — and learn how to choose the right one for every dish.

Extra virgin olive, just pressed at an olive mill in Avola, Sicily

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: How to Choose, Taste, and Use It Properly

Learn how to choose, taste, and use real extra virgin olive oil — with a guide to Italy’s top-producing regions and standout artisanal producers.

Italian Cured Meats: Guanciale, Pancetta, Speck, Lard, and How to Use Them

Explore Italy’s iconic cured meats — guanciale, pancetta, speck, and lardo — and meet the artisans keeping ancient pork traditions alive.

BROWSE

Recipes Mémoire

Edible Stories

Ingredients

Regional Eats

ABOUT

Made al Dente is a slow-travel food blog dedicated to the edible memories that shape us.

Through immersive storytelling, regional traditions, and honest ingredients, it captures the taste of Italy one bite at a time — whether it’s a pistachio granita in Agrigento, a slice of sfincione by the port of Palermo, or the scent of drying tomatoes in an August sun.

This is not a collection of quick recipes, but a thoughtful archive of food, place, and feeling — written to be savoured, not scrolled.