The 6 Italian Commandments to Reduce Food Waste
Food waste is a bane of the modern kitchen. Choices, ingredients, and good intentions tend to multiply, and without realizing it, we often lose control of our fridges and pantries. As a result, too many foods that still have a whole lot to give, are thrown in the trash on the daily. We are proud food lovers and self-proclaimed waste vigilantes, and so we wanted to do our part to combat the issue by offering you a tightly packed rundown of our very favourite tips to reduce food waste—with a delicious roster of foolproof recipes to boot!
Italian cuisine is pretty thrifty to begin with, a mix of simplicity, dedication to humble, good-quality ingredients, and creative know-how. On that note, the beloved specialties of the now world-famous cucina povera and the rich traditions of food preservation quickly come to mind as shiny—and tasty!—examples of the Italian resolve to combat wastefulness.
January also felt like the perfect month to dig into the topic of food waste. After the merry whirlwind of the holidays (and its financial and gastronomical excesses), many of us feel the need to reset and reconnect with tested-and-true tips that help us make the best of what’s in our kitchens. Without further ado: here are our essential commandments to reduce food waste. Dig in!
1. Thou shall honour stale bread
Yesterday’s baguette is rock hard? That happens. A lot. It seems we can’t escape stale bread, but the good news is it’s one of the most versatile leftovers there is. In Italy, people have learned to dip it, grind it, and toast it to restore its former shine. Stale bread even steals the show in the famous panzanella salad, and many meatball recipes as well as the classic crostini and pangrattato (known as the poor man’s Parmesan in Italy) rely on it. And for those of you who still have a bit of panettone left over from Christmas, do yourself a favour and turn it into a delicious bread pudding!
2. Thou shall not sleep on homemade broth
Broth or brodo is at the heart of several Italian classics. From soups, to risotto, and stews, homemade broth simply makes everything better and more nutritious. Plus, it welcomes your tired carrots, mushy onion, and wilted celery stalks with open arms, and even makes room for your vegetable scraps. Please also remember to keep your roasted chicken carcasses—they might not look like much, but these bones will do wonders for your broth! All you have to do is put it all in a big pot, cover with water, season, and simmer. And once you’ve got your delicious liquid gold, dig into your vegetable drawer and use up all that needs to go by preparing a hearty minestrone or acquacotta. Our kind of food waste reduction double feature!
3. Thou shall never (never!) throw away Parmesan rinds
You’ve probably noticed by now: we love Parmesan. It’s a quintessential ingredient of Italian cuisine and with all the hard work, time, and traditional expertise that goes into making it, wasting even a little bit seems, well, wrong. It’s a good thing then that Parmesan rinds are magical flavour enhancers, perfect for adding depth and umami richness to your soups, broths and stews. Just what you need to turn a normal dish into a wonderful one, without racking your brains… or breaking the bank!
4. Thou shall lean into the magic of frittata
We’ll simply never grow tired of frittata. She’s flawless from morning to night, she makes for delicious easy-peasy sandwiches the next day, but most importantly, she allows for a thorough fridge clearing. Leftover veggies, meat or even pasta? Scramble all that good stuff with some eggs and cheese, and voilà! Making frittata regularly is also a great way to encourage a steady fridge inventory, which is key to avoiding losing track, panicking, and wasting still perfectly delicious ingredients.
5. Thou shall reinvent leftover pasta
Even though pasta is at the very heart of Italian food, families in the old country are still faced, just like us, with the curse of a bunch of mismatched pasta shapes. And that’s OK! Italians have embraced the phenomenon and happily mix similar-sized pasta to whip up a fun plate of pasta mista. And if you have cooked pasta in the fridge, jump at the chance of preparing a scrumptious baked pasta al forno. A little sauce and cheese are all you need to liven up those leftovers!
6. Thou shall get your pesto on
You used that handful of fresh herbs the recipe required on Monday and now the rest of the bunch is withering away at the bottom of the fridge’s drawer? First of all, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of putting things away a little more efficiently (fresh herbs in a sealed bag or a glass of water, root vegetables in a dark, cool place, etc.). But if you’re faced with the proverbial wilted bunch, know that pesto has your back! This flavour concentrate makes for a wonderful quick pasta and also doubles as a lively condiment for a myriad of other dishes. And if you want to help your future self out even more, prepare a big batch and keep some in the freezer for a rainy day. Presto (or shall we say pesto) pronto!
Buon appetito!
