Italian food is the ultimate in simple elegance, but it becomes a little more difficult if you don’t have the right tools. At Isernio’s, we want you to love your time in the kitchen as much as you love the food that comes out of it, so we’ve rounded up some of the essential kitchen tools needed in every Italian-inspired kitchen.

Pasta Machine – This gadget is well worth the investment if you plan to make your own pasta.

Mezzaluna Knife – You’ll wonder how you ever lived without this once you get used to using it for chopping garlic and herbs.

Olivewood Utensils – You’ll love cooking with these traditional utensils.

Large Pasta Pot – Pasta can’t be crowded if you want it to cook well. You need a BIG one if you want to make pasta like the Italians.

Colander – Choose a sturdy colander so when it comes time to drain your pasta it’s not falling over in your kitchen sink.

Pasta Drying Rack – If you’re making your own pasta it needs to dry. This rack will help make sure it’s perfect.

Mortar & Pestle – Grinding spices? Making pesto? You need this to do it properly.

Parmesan Knife – This almond-shaped knife is designed to cut hard parmesan, but can be used for a variety of other cheeses as well.

Ravioli Cutter – Technically you could make ravioli without this gadget, but your creations will look so much more authentic if you do.

Gnocchi Board – Gnocchi needs small impressions in the dough to hold the sauce; you can roll the delicate dough along this board to shape them perfectly.

Olive Oil Decanter – These help you with a neat pour. They can also help you store the oil properly – just make sure you choose a dark-colored one and keep it in a cabinet away from heat and light.

Stovetop Espresso Maker – Once you learn how to make homemade espresso, you may never drive through local espresso stand again.

Serrated Bread Knife – You can’t just use any knife to cut rustic Italian bread or you’ll compress it. To keep it intact, make sure you’re using the right knife.

Cheese Grater – If you’re cooking authentic Italian food, you probably won’t be buying pre-shredded cheese. Buy high-quality cheese and grate it at home!

Cannoli Roller – Don’t forget the cannoli! A roller will help you get the shells to perfect size and shape for stuffing.

Whether you’re looking to boost your own Italian kitchen tool collection or looking for gift inspiration for a loved one for Christmas, we hope this list helps you with ideas. And remember to use Isernio’s in all your Italian dishes to give them that authentic old-world flavor and quality.

What kitchen tools do you find most essential?

The afternoon is waning, and you’ve got nothing planned for dinner. It’s tempting to hop in the car and run to the restaurant down the street or swing through the drive-through on your way home from work.

But aside from the usual deterrents to takeout (low quality! high cost! all that waste!), you might be surprised to realize that it’s really not much of a time-saver. Between the time you spend driving to your favorite restaurant and the time you spend waiting for your order to be filled, you can usually whip up a healthy and respectable meal at home.

Isernio’s loves being your go-to choice for all those complex Italian meals steeped in tradition. But we can also be your biggest time-saver, too. Don’t believe us? Here’s how.

Pre-Cooked Sausages: These are fully cooked, packed with flavor, and ready at a moment’s notice for a meal that’s sure to please. There are a number of ways you can serve these.

TRY IT:

• Alone on your favorite roll or bun
• Slice them and toss with pasta and some store-bought pesto
• Skewer them with zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms and toss on the grill for ten minutes

The possibilities are endless for a healthy, satisfying meal ready in 15 minutes or less.

Sausage Rolls: It takes less than ten minutes to brown a pound of sausage, and if you use our bulk rolls you don’t even have to worry about removing it from the casing, saving you even more time. Sausage is so flavorful in itself that you need very little in the way of seasoning for the rest of your dish.

TRY IT:

• This Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli cooks the pasta and the broccoli in one pot, minimizing both cook time and clean-up.
• Brown your sausage then add tomato sauce, salt, garlic, and Italian seasonings. Allow to simmer while you cook up a pot of noodles and you’ve got a quick and satisfying spaghetti dinner. It’s even easier if you keep some of our Half Hour Tomato Sauce in your freezer for just such an occasion.

Fresh Sausage: Whether you like traditional or chicken sausage, mild or spicy, Italian or Chicken & Feta, we’ve got plenty of options to keep your quick weeknight meal from being anything but boring.

TRY IT:

• Our Grilled Sausage Sandwiches come together lightning-fast and since your bun is loaded with both meat and veggies, it’s a complete meal in itself and needs no additional sides.
• Roast sausage, potatoes, and peppers on one sheet pan for easy cooking and clean-up. Cut sausages into bite-sized pieces and roast in a 400-degree oven with diced potatoes and cut peppers. This recipe may take a little longer than takeout in the oven, but the hands-on prep time is minimal. Hint: Give the potatoes a 20-minute head start, and cook on parchment to make clean-up a breeze.

Ground Chicken: Once again, browning the meat takes almost no time and you’re ready to assemble a quick, easy, and healthy dinner. Our ground chicken is guaranteed to make your dish a hit; you’ll find it doesn’t dry out like some other ground poultry products and the whole-muscle chicken thighs ensure that it’s packed with flavor.

TRY IT:

• Our Spicy Chicken and Cabbage Lettuce Cups are perfect if you’re craving Chinese food.
• Baja Chicken Tacos will be on the table before you know it.
• Nachos for dinner are even easier. Use store-bought taco seasoning to flavor the chicken, heat up some beans, and assemble a meal everyone in your family will be happy about.

We love to savor time at the table, but we know that in today’s busy world it’s not always possible. Serving Isernio’s for dinner can be even faster than take-out – and a whole lot healthier, too.

What’s your go-to quick & easy meal?