Argentinian vs Italian food & cuisine

Argentina

Argentine food runs mild — far less chili than Peru or Bolivia, less layered with dried spice than Brazil’s Bahian cooking. The Northwest, closest to the Andes, uses cumin and ground ají (capsicum pepper) more. Everywhere else — the Pampas, the coast, Patagonia — runs on salt, garlic, and parsley. Seasoning is restrained during cooking, sharper on the finished dish. A steak may reach the grill with little more than salt, then meet chimichurri or salsa criolla at the table.

Fresh aromatics dominate: onion and bell pepper cook into empanada fillings, stews, and tomato sauces. Garlic and parsley often work to flavor meat, potatoes, and sauces. Oregano goes into pizza, tomato sauce, and chimichurri. Black pepper is used everywhere. Bay leaf goes into anything cooked a long time. In the northwest, dried cumin, pimentón (dry paprika) and ají molido are more widespread. Ají molido — the most characteristically Argentine dry chile seasoning. Usually mild to moderately hot, with more warmth and pepper flavor than aggressive heat.

The Argentine flavors run around vinegar, salt and oregano, basil, bay and ají; household versions commonly add garlic, parsley and oil.

PROVENZAL — hopped garlic and parsley with no oil or vinegar, dusted onto milanesa, papas fritas, or sautéed mushrooms after cooking. Functions as a finishing seasoning.

CHIMICHURRI –  a loose herb-and-vinegar sauce, usually made with parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, oil, salt and ají molido. It is served with grilled beef, sausages and offal, or used as a marinade. Sharp, herbal and only mildly hot in most Argentine versions.

SALSA CRIOLLA is closer to a finely chopped relish: usually tomato, onion and bell pepper dressed with vinegar, oil and salt. It is served cold with asado, achuras and especially choripán. Unlike chimichurri, its main job is freshness and crunch.

MAYONESA CASERA — homemade mayonnaise, looser and more acidic than the commercial jarred kind, standard on sandwiches de miga and alongside milanesa.

SALSA GOLF — mayonnaise beaten with ketchup. Cold, used for shrimp cocktail, fries, sometimes milanesa.

Italy

SEASONINGS

Italian flavorings are less oriented to spices and more towards fresh herbs and aromatics. Dried herbs rarely appear in Italian cooking, except for dried bay leaves in soups or a pinch of oregano in tomato sauce. Almost all herbs are used fresh when they’re still full of aromatic oils. If one cannot get the fresh herb specified in the recipe, an alternative fresh herb would be a better choice than using a dried herb. Italians prefer using one or a few herbs to emphasize their character and not overpower one another. Therefore, the Italian spice mix does not exist in mainland Italy; it is a concept made up of foreigners.

Many recipes begin by sauteing garlic and onions in olive oil to create a flavor base, yet dishes are not loaded with garlic, despite the popular belief. It is not rare for anchovies to join onion and garlic; altogether, they blend into a deep, umami flavor.

Caper and olives are used extensively; they add a deep, tangy flavor and are often paired with tomatoes.

Vinegar  (wine, balsamic) is essential in salad dressings, marinades, sauces, reductions, and even desserts. Earthy porcini and truffle flavors are very iconic and not rare.

SAUCES

SUGO DI POMODORO – This essential yet straightforward sauce is made from ripe tomatoes, garlic or onion, olive oil, and sometimes fresh basil.

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE – made by crushing fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Pecorino cheese, all blended with olive oil.

AGLIO E OLIO – southern Italian sauce made from sautéed garlic in olive oil, often with the addition of red pepper flakes (peperoncino) for heat.

SUGO ALLA PUTTANESCA – bold sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, and anchovies.

SALSA VERDE – this green sauce is made from parsley, capers, garlic, anchovies, and vinegar, blended with olive oil. It is commonly served with meats, particularly in northern Italy.

SALSA DI FUNGHI – a northern Italian sauce made from sautéed mushrooms, garlic, onions, and sometimes cream or white wine.

BAGNA CAUDA – from Piedmont, this is a warm sauce made from garlic, anchovies, olive oil, and sometimes butter. It’s traditionally served with raw or cooked vegetables for dipping.

ARRABBIATA – a spicy tomato sauce made with garlic and red chili peppers (peperoncino), typical of Roman cuisine.

SOFFRITTO –  a fundamental base for many dishes, sautéd chopped onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil (or sometimes butter). This technique is essential in creating the flavor foundation for sauces, soups, and stews.