A Guide to Pairing Italian Cuisine And Wine From Prego
Italian food can be enjoyed the best when you pair it with a perfect glass of wine. Believe it or not, Italian cuisines and wine go hand-in-hand. That is because rich and herb-infused delicacies with aged wine create the perfect combination and an exceptional dining experience. Pairing food and wine can be overwhelming and daunting. There is an old saying “when it grows together, goes together” and that’s a simple rule you can follow when you are pairing your Italian food with a glass of wine. We don’t want you to be confused so if I simplify the saying it means, you shall pair the foods and drinks belonging to the same region. Considering the region is very important when it comes to Italian food and drinks.
As one of the best Italian restaurants in Perth, we came up with a guide. This small guide from Prego will help you to choose the perfect wines that go with your meal. You can take help from this guide next time you visit our restaurant. That way you can get rid of all your confusion when you take a look at our wine menu.
4 Basic Rules of Wine Pairing
First, have a look at a few basic rules of wine pairing. I am sure you will get an overall idea from this. Moreover, these are not “written in stone”, they will just provide you with some basic knowledge about the same. The rules are as mentioned below:
Pair foods and wines that have similar kind of textures
When I say this, I mean, you need to understand what will bring out the best characteristics of both Italian cuisine and wine. It’s always best that you understand the richness of the food and then order a glass of wine that complements it. Let’s say you are having pasta with red tomato sauce. In that case, I would suggest you go for a glass of Chianti Classico. A glass of light and fragrant Vernaccia would be perfect if you are having a seafood platter. Vermentino is another white wine that compliments seafood well.
You need to maintain a proper balance between the taste of the food and wine
Foods that contain sour components such as lemon, vinegar and salty components such as soy sauce, olives, make the taste of the wine milder and less fruity. Lemons and vinegar are really the enemies of wines. At the same time, sweet dishes make the wine taste stronger and drier. So, when you are sitting in an Italian restaurant in Perth choosing a glass of wine with your food, you need to keep it in mind before pairing.
Acid+Acid is the formula
This is an important factor and I, personally, try to apply this when I am pairing wine with my meal. You need to balance the acidity of the food with the wine. For example, if your food is highly acidic, then your wine will taste bland. So, while pairing you need to keep this fact in mind. If you are having some food that contains lemon, I would suggest a glass of Pinot Grigio with that. However, if you are having dessert wines like Vin Santo, you must have torte or biscotti with that to balance its sweet taste.
The region of the wine should be taken under consideration
I was talking about it earlier and now I am going to tell you how you can exactly do it. Let’s say you have chosen a food item, the next step is to find the origin of the same so that you can find the wines belonging to the same origin. While you are going through the menu of Prego or any other Italian restaurants in Perth, you can understand how diverse Italy is when it comes to its cuisines and wines. Look for the popular vegetables and spices from a region and then choose the wine from that particular region only. No doubt, it’s a great way to pair wine with your meal.
Pairing Italian Cuisine And Wine
While pairing Italian food and wine, remember about the different types of wines. The different types include light, medium and full bodied wines. Now, if I am having a steamed food item, I would go for a light bodied wine and so should you. Pinot Grigio goes really well with light sauteed and poached food items. If I am having some grilled or roasted food that is rich in flavour I would prefer a glass of medium or full bodied wine like Sangiovese or Cabernet Merlot.
To make it easier for you, I am going to break it down. I will mention a category of food and wines that go best with those food items.
Seafood cuisines
Many people will tell you that you should always go for white wines when you are having seafood cuisines. Well, if you ask me, I would say that’s not always true. Even if you order a glass of Chianti with your seafood you are going to enjoy it. If you are having oysters then a glass of Prosecco will bring out the best of the flavours.
Spicy pasta dishes
When you are having a spicy dish you wouldn’t want to pair the wrong type of wine that will make the flavours of the dish stronger and totally kill the flavour of the wine. This is the reason you need to pair pasta made with spicy sauces like Aglio Olio e pepperoncino, Arrabbiata with crisp and sharp wines. A dry white wine or a light red wine would work perfectly. Go for a glass of Riesling or a glass of Zinfandel if you want to enjoy your spicy pasta.
Poultry
There is chicken then there are game birds like turkey, quail, and duck that contain more robust flavours than chicken. So, you need to pair these with wines that complement the earthy characteristics of the spices. Amarone has a beautifully balanced flavour and perfectly goes with this food category. As an alternative to Amarone, I would suggest Ripasso Primitivo.
Pairing Some Italian Cuisine And Wine From Prego’s Food Menu
White wines
If you take a look at our wine menu, you will find two varieties of white wines. The first one is light aromatic white wine and the second one is medium-weighted and textured white wine.
Pinot Grigio
It is a classic light aromatic white wine that goes perfectly with any classic Italian cuisine. Pinot Grigio brings out the charm of Pesto. This wine has a simple yet vigorous flavour and that makes it special. If you are having bread then you can have this wine to perfectly complement your meal. You can also have this wine with Risotto, Antipasto and Mediterranean salad. And yes, we do serve it by the glass but if you prefer, you can order a whole bottle!
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is one of the best white wines to pair with Italian cuisines. If you are having any kind of creamy Italian cuisine then you must have a glass of amorous Chardonnay with that. It is a white wine made from green-skinned grapes and originated from France, Burgundy. You will find different flavours of Chardonnay starting from apple and lemon to papaya and pineapple. You may pair this with Alfredo dishes and every kind of seafood. You would not be overwhelmed with the pleasing flavours of Chardonnay, even if you continue swigging without a pause, and that’s a guarantee!
Sauvignon Blanc
This is a type of white wine that is crisp and acidic and at the same time light. The taste of this wine is very unique compared to other white wines owing to its green and herbaceous flavour. Sauvignon Blanc is more savoury than other whites so it pairs really well with the food items containing herbs like parsley, cilantro, rosemary, basil and mint. This wine goes perfectly with the variations of white meat like chicken and turkey. Having something from the sea? I really like this wine with sea bass, lobster and crab. Perhaps you will like it too.
Riesling
This is one of the sweetest of white wines. The dryness of this wine depends on the region the grape grows. For example, the Californian Riesling is dry and has a flavour of watermelon while German riesling has a flavour of grapefruit. It goes really well with creamy and saucy dishes. So, if you are ordering creamy pasta here at Prego, ask for a glass of Riesling with that.
Red wines
There are different categories among red wines too. While you are going through the wine menu of Prego, you will see we have light to medium weighted savoury red wines and richer and fuller-bodied red wines.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir falls under the category of light to medium weighted savoury red wines. It is a dry wine that originated from France consisting of complex flavours of mushroom, raspberry, vanilla and cherry. It is best paired with red tomato-based sauces. You can also pair it with white and oil-based sauces. It would even make a perfect pair if you order it with roasted chicken, duck and beef.
Cabernet Merlot
This is a richer and fuller-bodied red wine. It is a dry wine and tastes best when aged. Just like the colour of the wine it also goes perfectly with the red sauce dishes like pasta and so on. Other than that, you can have it with mushroom-based dishes, tomato and herb-based pasta, bolognese, grilled or barbeque dishes.
Cabernet Sauvignon
If you are a wine enthusiast,I am pretty sure Cabernet Sauvignon will come to your mind whenever you are thinking of a bold red wine. To produce this wine Cabernet grapes are used and that’s where it got its name. The wine has a strong flavour of black currant with an overtone of blackberry, chocolate, black cherry, mint, and eucalyptus. The taste of this wine highly depends on the region of production because the grapes represent the taste of the earth where they grew. Cabernet Sauvignon has a rich taste that goes perfectly with red meat and tomato sauce based pasta. You can have it with rib, sirloin or tenderloin steak. This wine goes perfectly with beef and any kind of burgers or even mushroom based cuisines.
Last but not the least, before I conclude, I would like to mention, these are just guidelines that will help you in pairing the wines better with your food. None of them are “rules” that you have to follow. I always believe in “embrace the joy of eating and drinking what truly satisfies you”. So, keep in mind these guidelines and choose your wine better.
Dine With Us
Experience Prego’s Italian-style dining, rich with flavorful dishes complemented by expertly paired wines, all within a BYO-friendly environment. You will find wines at Prego one of the best Italian Restaurant in Perth with the best Italian cuisines. Considering you want to enjoy your Italian cuisine and wine in a perfect fine dining setting, your visit to Prego Restaurant is a must. Our 1st goal is to provide you with an exceptional dining experience!
Prego Italian Restaurant Scarborough – Top 3 Italian Food You Should Have Try
The range of Italian cuisine is really uncountable. So, it is pretty much difficult, even for a local in order to say which Italian item is the best so for you Top 3 Italian Food You Should Have At Prego Italian Restaurant Scarborough. The wide choice of items is because of the huge differences between the ethnic cuisines of the different countries and the seasonal products.
In this universe of excellent gastronomic specialties, an adventurer who loves Italian food finds it pretty difficult for selecting which item to taste. So, here, in this guide, we are going to mention 3 popular Italian dishes that you can try at Prego restaurant, the best Italian restaurant Scarborough.
Here are some of the simple one-dish meals and they are pretty humble in their ingredients along with the approach. You can try these dishes at Prego which is considered the best Italian restaurant in Scarborough. In fact, you can also make it at home on your own.
1. Lamb Shoulder Preparation
Here are some of the simple steps that you can follow for preparing the Lamb Shoulder. Generally, it is slowly cooking with the artichoke potato puree. To know the entire recipe, have a deep look below:
Step 1: Prepare the Boned Lamb Shoulder
Primarily, take the boned out the lamb shoulder and put it in a bowl. Afterwards, add the ingredients over the lamb and season with a pinch of black pepper and salt.
Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables
Now, put all the required ingredients in a roasting dish and mix them well by adding a small amount of oil so that the artichokes were properly submerged. Then, season with black pepper and salt.
Step 3: Preparation
Here, all you need to do is to preheat the oven to 180 degrees and then put the lamb on top of the skin of the vegetable. Now, cover them with a foil and place them in the oven. At least cook it for half an hour.
Afterwards, remove the foil and cook it for another 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure you cook it unless the outside of the lamb becomes golden in colour.
Once it is done, you can flip the vegetables using a spatula then cook them for another 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up.
Step 4: Garnishing & Serving When you found that the vegetables get crisped up, try to drain off the excess oil and then add a few drops of lemon juice over the lamb and add some chopped parsley leaves. Here, you can serve it on a platter along with some roasted veggies.
2. Tiramisu Preparation
Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert that is prepared with mascarpone cream and plenty of layers of coffee-soaked ladyfinger. The custard is in creamy format and doesn’t contain any kind of raw egg. This is a simple recipe and considered the best homemade Italian dessert.
Here’s the preparation of Tiramisu:
Step 1: Firstly, you need to take a sufficient amount of coffee syrup and dip half of the ladyfingers. Afterwards, arrange in a 9 X 13 casserole.
Step 2: Now, add ¾ cup sugar along with 6 yolks and continue whisking over a saucepan of simmering water for at least 15 minutes. Once done, remove from steam.
Step 3: Here, you need to add 3 tbsp of rum and the warm yolk mixture that you made earlier. Mix them well unless they blended properly. Afterwards, add 2 cups of heavy cream and blend them properly. For garnishing, you can add more cream and dip a few ladyfingers over the cream.
Step 4: Now, cover and refrigerate it overnight and after that add some cocoa power on it and serve!!!!
Furthermore, if you ever visit Australia Perth, then you can go to the Prego Restaurant, the most popular Italian Restaurant Perth and try this dish!!! X
3. Mediterranean Salad Preparation
Generally, Mediterranean salad is tossed in a rich sumac tahini dressing and garnished with homemade crispy za’atar chickpeas for an elegant vegan meal. This salad is now pretty popular in most of our houses since it is packed with crunchy chickpeas, plant protein, tangy pickled onions, tomato, lettuce, and refreshing cucumber.
Afterwards, add a sufficient amount of creamy sumac tahini dressing which can bring everything all together. Every time, it is not necessary that the falafel is the traditional one. They are just backed instead of fried.
Tahini Dressing
Tahini dressing isn’t only for the salads. You all can make a tahini dressing for eating with some roasted veggies along with the tofu.
In fact, Tahini is delicate on its own with a pinch of black pepper, salt, and lemon. Obviously, it is amazing in a creamy dressing along with the sumac spice. Basically, Sumac is a dark red spice. It is native to the middle east along with a flavour profile similar to lemon. Actually, sumac powder is a bit fruity and refreshing so that it is perfect for the dressing.
Crispy Za’atar Chickpeas
As we all know, Za’atar is pretty common in Mediterranean salad. Basically, it is a decent Middle Eastern spice. It is usually preparing with sesame seeds, sumac spice, savoury herb, and salt. In fact, it has a wonderful flavour that complements chickpeas.
Well, now you can give this Mediterranean Salad a try at your home. In fact, you can also try this salad at Prego which is considered the top mostItalian Restaurant City Beach.
Tips to choose the best Italian restaurant Scarborough
1. Do Some Market Research
Before you choose any Italian restaurant Scarborough, do some market research. You can ask around the people living around Scarborough region for any good Italian restaurants.
Of course, without a doubt, you would always have Prego to serve you.
2. Make Sure That The Italian Restaurant Scarborough Is Authentic
One of the major things you need to ensure before visiting any Italian restaurant in Scarborough is its authenticity. A real Italian restaurant, like Prego, should offer authentic Italian food. If it doesn’t, it is not worth visiting!
3. Do Got Get Lured In
Want to know what makes any restaurant bad?A host who speaks politely with you at all times, an English menu, and also a welcome drink on the house! A popular Italian restaurant in Scarborough would have their tables full at all times! It would be filled most of the time, that they would have trouble accommodating you!
Plus, if you are someone who likes to try Italian cuisine at all times, visiting Prego is MUST!
4. If The Menu Has No Pictures, Avoid Visiting The Restaurant Anymore
The ambiance of a restaurant might seem nice but if there are no pictures on the menu, it’s a simple NO!
5. The Menu Should Have Italian Cuisine ONLY
When it comes to authentic Italian restaurants in Scarborough, their menu should only consist of Italian food! Also, if their menu is translated into multiple languages, it resembles that they have multiple tourists to attend to! Always choose a place that gives off complete Italian vibes!
6. Best Services Ever
The last thing to consider is to choose the Italian restaurant Scarborough which offers exceptional service. How the restaurant staff treats you is what determines your overall experience.
Top 3 Popular Italian Food Recipes: Simple Italian Recipes
Top 3 Popular Italian Food Recipes: Simple Italian Recipes, Italian dish comes in some of the global cuisines that Indians are absolutely obsessed with. The Italian dishes often feature on the dining tables of most Indian households. In fact, most of us often fall back on pizzas, risottos, pasta in order our delight our cravings for a delicious meal.
Basically, there is a wide range of varieties to select among Italian foods in veg or non-veg. When it comes to pasta, you can toss them in different sauces along with several veggies, herbs, and meats. And during game nights or family get together, homemade pizzas are the most popular option for a good meal.
Today, I going to mention the3 most popular Italian food recipes that you can easily prepare at your home and enjoy the food with your family and friends!!!
Ossobuco:
Shin of veal with marrow bone in wine and tomato sauce. It can be served as the second item however is usually served with the risotto Alla Milanese. So, if you are a real meat lover, then it is the real treat for you.
Ingredients:
– Sprig Fresh Rosemary – 1
– Sprig Fresh Thyme – 1
– Whole Cloves – 2
– Dry Bay Leaf – 1
– Cheesecloth
– Whole Veal Shanks – 3
– Vegetable Oil – 1/2 Cup
– Veggies – Tomato, Carrot, Onion
– Fresh Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley – 3
– Ground Black Pepper And Sea Salt
Preparation:
Step 1: Initially, put the rosemary, bay, thyme, and cloves into the cheesecloth and protected with twine. It will be your bouquet garni.
Step 2: Before proceeding to the veal shanks, attempt to pat dry them in order to remove the excess moisture. Veal shanks become brown when they are dry. Afterwards, secure the meat with kitchen twine and add some salt and ground pepper.
Step 3: Now, heat the vegetable oil unless smoking and add all the veal shanks. Cook them for a couple of minutes and remove them from the pan in order to reserve.
Step 4: In the same pot, add some chopped carrot, celery, and onion. Put some salt to it to draw out the moisture and sauté unless they get soft and translucent. Now, put some tomato sauce and mix well. Thereafter, add the shanks, white wine chicken stock, bouquet garni. Reduce the heat and cook well. Add more chick stock if required.
Step 5: Take out the cooked shanks to a serving plate and garnish with lemon zest and chopped parsley. That’s all!!! Enjoy the food as you want…..
Arancini:
This refers to an item that is stuffed with rice balls. The rice balls are coated with crunchy breadcrumbs. This can be perfect as the evening snack!!!
Ingredients:
– Low-Sodium Chicken Broth- 3 Cups
– Arborio Rice- 1 Cup
– Kosher Salt
– Shredded Mozzarella Cheese- ½ Cups
– Shredded Fontina Cheese- ½ CUPS
– Eggs- 2
– Breadcrumbs- 1 And ½ Cups
– Fresh Parsley- 2 Tablespoon
– Vegetable Oil
Preparation:
Step 1:
Take the low-sodium chicken broth and add some salt to it. Now, boil it over medium-high heat. Cook the rice and decrease the heat and stir for at least 20 minutes. Once done, speed it on a dish and let it cool.
Step 2:
Take pine nuts, fontina, mozzarella, and some chopped parsley into a bowl and mix them well. Beat the eggs and stir in the cooked rice, 2/3 cup breadcrumbs, and parmesan. Shape the mixture into balls.
Step 3:
Now, put some breadcrumbs into a bowl. Use your finger to press each rice ball and insert some mozzarella mixture, pinch the rice around the filling to enclose. Roll the rice balls into the breadcrumbs and keep them in the refrigerator (at least for 2 hours for best results).
Step 4:
Heat some vegetable oil and deep fry the rice balls unless they turn brown. Place them into a paper towel to remove the excess oils.
Pasta Con le Sarde:
It is one of the most preferable Sicilian Italian dishes that you will love for sure!!!
Ingredients:
– Dry White Wine – ½ Cups
– Golden Raisins – 1 And ½ Ounces
– Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 Tablespoons
– Pinch Saffron (Optional)
– Ground Fennel Seed – ½ Teaspoon
– Panko Bread Crumbs – 1 And ½ Ounce
– Ground Black Pepper And Kosher Salt
– Oil – Packed Anchovy Fillets – 4
– Whole Sardines – 5
– Bucatini or Spaghetti – 1 Pound
Preparation:
Step 1:
Take a heatproof bowl and bring some wine in it. Heat the wine in the microwave. Now, add some raisins to it and keep it aside.
Step 2:
In a skillet, take 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it unless shimmering. Afterward, add soma ground fennel and cook it for 30 seconds. Next, add some bread crumbs and wait unless the breadcrumbs are completely toasted. Transfer them into a bowl, and add some pepper and salt to it.
Step 3:
Bring a pan and heat 3 tablespoons of oil unless shimmering. Add the diced bulb, onion, and stir it well unless the mixture is tender. It w9ill take almost 10 minutes. Now, add some anchovy and cook well unless it dissolves the old.
Step 4:
Here, you need to add saffron, raisin, and wine. Cook them until they evaporated properly. Now, add the other ingredients including sardine and pine nuts. Meanwhile, boil the pasta and reserve at least 1 cup of boiled water. Now, transfer the pasta into a bowl and add the pasta boiled water into it.
Step 5:
Now, cook the mixture to medium-high flame unless the pasta is well coated into the sauce. Add some breadcrumbs and toss it’s once more. In case the pasta gets too dry, then you can dry some pasta with boiled water in it. Additionally, you can add some sauce and pine nuts for the garnishing purpose!!!
Enjoy your Italian cooking time and make all the dishes to surprise your family and friends!!! On the other hand, you can also try out all three Popular Italian Food at Prego Italian restaurant in Perth!
Our top 3 popular Italian food recipes are sweet and savory and would provide you with all the food experiences one would have in Italy.These dishes are brought to you directly from Italy and now you get to enjoy these right in the vicinities of Perth.
Conclusion
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the people living in Perth do love Italian cuisine. Some of the popular ones consist of pizzas, pasta, and risottos. Even if it means that you have to visit Prego, we are here with you.With our vast number of Italian dishes, we still suggest that the ones mentioned above would be perfect for your hunger!
When it comes to pasta, penne, lasagne, spaghetti, macaroni, tagliatelle and ravioli is there. You can also ask for different sauces from our attendants, and enjoy a full and hearty meal.
Gorgeous Perth pulls in various travelers who like to enjoy new food every now and then! With its rich and sophisticated culture, and gastronomical delights, visiting Prego would be a delight if you are looking for exotic Italian cuisines to try.
So here we have put together the top 3 Italian cuisine dishes. Go and try them out to satiate your taste buds!
Prego Italian Restaurant has long been a destination choice for food lovers. Customers visit this special Italian Restaurant to taste some delectable Italian cuisine in the regions and leave the restaurant with great contentment. Our chef makes it a point to serve you the tastiest delicacies in the healthiest way. Count on us for a healthy & tasty treat and feel the indulgence!