5 utensils to make Italian cooking easier

Pasta machine
The godfather of Italian kitchen utensils. A rolling pin just won’t cut it when it comes to making superthin, featherlight pasta sheets. Purchase the best machine you can afford and it will last you a lifetime. It’s best to wipe down your machine using a clean cloth after you’ve used it, do not immerse it in water as it might rust.

Woolworths braai pizza grill
Do you love thin, crispy pizzas? This grill is the only way you are going to get that woodfired base effect at home. You use it the same way as you would a baking stone or tile. Be sure to put the pizza grill in the oven so that its very hot before placing the uncooked pizza on it. Try it on the Weber too. Also look out for Woolworths’ pizza cutter, which is made from stainless steel and slices through hot pizzas like a dream.

Pestle and mortar
Make your own rubs, pestos and pastes using a pestle and mortar, or crush Italian herbs to release their natural aromas and flavours.

Graters
Lemon tarts, gremolatas and dressings just aren’t the same without the fine lemon zest. And using a Microplane to make them will change your life. Theye are, however, extremely sharp, so please take care when using them. They zest and grate with precision and speed every time. Another must-have grater is Woolworths’ rotary grater, an Italian-style handheld grater perfect for grating Parmesan into risottos and pastas, and it looks great on the dinner table, too.

Garlic press 
Italian food just isn’t Italian without copious amounts of garlic. Save yourself time, patience and garlicky fingers by getting your hands on a garlic press. The best part is you can put a whole clove, skin and all, in the slot. Close and press down hard to release the delicous aromatic flavours without any of the effort. It will soon be your favourite kitchen tool, I promise!