Enjoying delicious food with loved ones is at the heart of Italian culture, so introduce that tradition by passing on cherished recipes or learning together about this fascinating cuisine. The best part is that many of your child’s favorite dishes probably come from the Italian tradition already – pizza or mac & cheese anyone? Buon appetito!

New Tastes

Try setting out as many of these ingredients as you have at home and encourage tasting and smelling. Anchovies and capers may cause a chorus of "icks!", but you may be also surprised at just how adventurous your kids really are.

• Anchovies
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• Balsamic vinegar
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• Capers
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• Fresh herbs such as basil, marjoram, and oregano
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• Garlic
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• Mozzarella
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• Olive oil
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• Olives
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• Parmesan cheese
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• Tomato

Special Tools

You don’t need lots of fancy equipment to make great Italian food at home, but some tools will help you create authentic tastes together such as a pasta maker, gnocchi or butter paddle, food mill, and pizza stone.

Fun Facts about Italian Food

• Italians used forks 300 years before the rest of Europe. The most likely reason is because pasta was too slippery and hot to pick up with bare hands.
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• The average American eats 23 pounds of pizza a year!
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• There are literally hundreds of different types of pasta including super-skinny angel hair, twisty fusilli, stuffed tortellini, and, of course, elbow macaroni.

1. Custom ravioli

Make ravioli in your favorite shapes by using pre-made won ton skins. You can stuff them with all kinds of pureed vegetables, ricotta cheese mixed with parmesan and spices, or whatever your imagination conjures up. And why stop there? Use cookie cutters to really create something special for dinner.

Recipe to try: Won Ton Ravioli

2. Granita

You don’t need an ice cream maker for this authentic Italian frozen treat. Granita is a slightly slushier version of Italian ice that’s made by stirring or scraping with forks every so often as it’s freezing. It’s a perfect job to give kids while you’re preparing the rest of the meal.

Recipe to try: Lemon Granita

3. Pizza

The Cooking School lesson on kneading will help you learn how to form perfect pizza dough, but you can also get creative with toppings. Prepare a "toppings bar" and divide one big pizza into different sections or make individual pizzas so everyone can create their own special dinner. If grown-ups take lots of veggies for their own pizza toppings, some kids may be inspired follow suit.

Recipe to try: Pizza Four Ways

4. Potato Gnocchi

Gnocchi dough is barely more than mashed potatoes plus flour and eggs, but it’s forming the unique ridged shape of these little tidbits that makes them so fun. Once you and your kids get the hang of expertly rolling the gnocchi across a fork or butter paddle, you’ll be ready for dinner in no time. Check out our step-by-step instructions on forming gnocchi to see how it’s done.

Recipe to try: Potato Gnocchi

Next month our travels will take us in a different direction—all the way to India!