Risottare, Minestrare & the Poetry of Everyday Italian Cooking 🥘

Learn the soulful cooking methods that define the Italian kitchen

Dear Friends,

There’s something endlessly magical about the Italian kitchen—its flavors, of course, but also the language it uses to describe food. A language that dances between the poetic and the practical. This week, I’m bringing you two beautifully expressive terms you might not have heard before: risottare and minestrare.

These aren’t just culinary techniques—they’re windows into the way Italians approach food, blending tradition, efficiency, and soul. To introduce them, I’ve got a couple of delicious recipes, family stories, and a deep dive into the richness of Italian food vocabulary.

Ossobuco with a simple creamy risotto. Here’s the recipe.

What Does It Mean to “Risottare”?

You’ve probably heard of risotto—that silky, starchy, comforting rice dish made by adding broth a little at a time and stirring gently until the rice releases its starches into a creamy, luscious sauce. Now imagine applying that same technique to pasta. That’s what it means to risottare.