Kitchen Basics
By Lidia Bastianich

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My kitchen doesn't need anything super fancy. I do have a few essentials though that make cooking easier and more delicious.

1. A large stock pot is a must for making soups. Soups are great because they can be frozen then can be easily prepared during the week when time is precious.
2. Heavy sauce pans or dutch ovens are what I use for roasts and braises.
3. I love a cast iron skillet for high temperature searing, delicious stove top roasting—and it will last you a lifetime.
4. For pasta lovers like me, a 14" diameter skillet is a must. You can toss the pasta with the sauce just before serving. It's also a perfect pan for quick-cooking meats and skillet-braised vegetables, Italian style.
5. Another essential is a great glass of Bastianich wine.

Buon appetitio!

Lidia Matticchio Bastianich was born in Pola, Istria, on the northeastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. She is a cookbook author, restaurateur, and TV chef extraordinaire. Watch Lidia's Italy Saturdays at 1:30pm on WGBH 2 or Sundays at 4pm on WGBH 44.