We love cooking for you at Cucina Rustica, however if you fancy cooking an authentic Italian meal much like the ones at our restaurant, we’ve put together our top tips to help you find the very best Italian ingredients.Using authentic and good quality ingredients is the key to any successful Italian meal. Italian food is simple, so once you’ve found the right ingredients the rest is easy – or so they say!
Local delis on your doorstep
Sapori di Sole is located in Moseley and is packed with delicious authentic food from Southern Italy. They also do freshly prepared food to take away, as well as hot Italian coffee whilst you have a wander around the deli.Laghi's Deli is located in Edgbaston. As well as selling authentic Italian produce, they have a restaurant, where products from the deli are used. They also have a pastry chef, cooking delicious Italian baked goods - perfect for a morning treat.
Make the trip for those special occasions
If you really fancy impressing your dinner party guests why not go further afield to Pulia in London. This authentic Italian deli provides exceptional quality ingredients from olive oil to artisan pasta. They also sell delicious baked produce, including focaccia bread and sweet pastries.
Finding authentic ingredients without breaking the bank
However, if you aren’t located near one of these delis, we have found you some delicious authentic Italian ingredients on offer at your local supermarket.
Using fresh pasta is going to make your dish even more authentic, however if you do want to use dried pasta, we recommend brands such as De Cecco or Barilla. You’ll be pleased to know these aren’t going to break the bank either. For a 500g bag they come in at around £1.50, so only a few pence more, for a bag of quality Italian pasta.For a classic Italian tomato sauce, a ready-made jar just won’t do! Try making your own with tinned tomatoes, which also contain less added sugar and salt. We recommend Cirio chopped tomatoes at just £1 for 400g, which can be found in any local supermarket.You now know where to find the most authentic Italian ingredients, which are right on your doorstep and aren’t going to break the bank! However, if you don’t fancy locating them yourself, come in to Cucina Rustica, where we source the finest quality and most authentic ingredients so you don’t have to.
