How to Cook Italian Food For Your Dog

Dogs might be carnivores, but just like us, they get bored with the same raw food or kibble day in and day out. Just imagine how you’d feel eating the same thing every single day of your life – you’d hate it, right? Although dog treats can provide your dog with a bit of food variety, most of them are often packed with excessive calories and can lead to extra pounds if you give them too many treats. The good news is that there are other ways to add a little spice to your dog’s otherwise boring mealtime. Consider cooking your dog a homemade Italian meal. Not only will this add a bit of variety for your dog but, it will be fun to experiment with different recipes to find the right combination that will appease your dog’s taste buds so that he gives up five paws for a job well done. Plus, it’s a great way to mix in any food additives to which they might otherwise turn their nose up. In this brief article, we’ll provide you with some tips to make your Italian meal the best that it can be.

First of all, understand that dogs have restrictions. That is, some foods are off-limits when you’re cooking for your dog. For instance, Italian sausage may be a no-go. They are often processed with many harmful ingredients like garlic powder and onion powder that can ultimately cause your dog serious health complications like anemia. They also have a lot of fat in them, which can cause obesity. Additionally, red pepper can cause gastroenteritis and other tummy issues. So, do your best to avoid these ingredients so that you can prevent health complications.

Instead, you may want to opt for safer ingredients like ground turkey or lean ground beef. You may also want to avoid salt, chives, garlic, and opinion powders so that you avoid hemolytic anemia that can damage your pup’s red blood cells. Instead, you can use basil as a seasoning as it is dog-safe and has antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidants properties. However, never use much.

Second, limit the amount of sauce. Although tomato sauce isn’t toxic, it isn’t particularly healthy for dogs either. You see, they typically contain artificial flavors and too much salt and sugar. If you choose pasta sauce, make sure that it doesn’t have any onions or garlic, or other harmful ingredients. Therefore, it will be best to make your sauce with tomato sauce that doesn’t include garlic or onions and only include a little basial for seasoning,

Third, choose the right pasta. Dogs can have a bit of plain pasta, but you should never feed them too much pasta. Most veterinarians recommend that they only get a few cooked noodles a week. However, if you absolutely must provide them some pasta, limit it to a ½ cup for larger dogs and ¼ for smaller dogs.

Fourth, add a bit of meat and skip the Italian sausage. Instead, add some great options like lean ground beef or ground turkey. Since dogs are carnivores the ratio of meat should be higher than the amount of pasta and sauce.

In conclusion, you can make a delicious Italian meal for your dog that includes a bit of pasta, sauce, and meat. However, you have to ensure that you avoid garlic and onions, and other harmful materials. By creating your own pasta sauce, limiting the amount of pasta, and piling on the meat, you can provide your dog with the variety it has been craving for. It makes for a great treat when training them to use their kennel or just general housebreaking. That said, Italian food is a once-in-a-while food choice for your canine companions and should never be your dog’s primary diet. Instead, stick to vet-approved kibble, raw food, or homemade recipes that are healthier and leave the Italian meals for once in a while special meal.

The Cornerstones of Italian Cooking

When it comes to Italian cuisines, the only name that crossed our mind is Pasta and marinara sauce. But Italians should get credit for more than that.

The versatility, authenticity, and reliance on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients characterize Italy, the homeland of the haute cuisine trend and habitat to the world’s most prevalent cuisine. At its most fundamental level, Italian cuisine shows us the value of simplicity.

Here in this piece, we will talk about some important elements or key features of Italian cooking.

  1. OLIVE OIL – It is the most crucial element of Italian cooking. Italian food is nothing without olive oil. It holds the taste and culture of Italian food all across the globe.
  2. THE WINE – Italy is the world leader in wine production in terms of volumes. And they used wine in the cooking. No wonder why people lick their hands when they try Italian cuisines for the first time. The wine is widely used for making sweets and cooking. Wine is a regional commodity that is grown in the Boot, each with its own distinct characteristics.
  3. CHEESE – When it comes to Italian cheese, we are literally short of words. There are various kinds of soft, heavy, preserved, produced from sheep milk, and aged for a long time. The cheese production is heavily regional and spreads throughout the Italian landscape. The creation and taste are clearly influenced by geography and nature, but all regions have something special to offer. Many of them, such as mozzarella di bufala and Parmigiano Reggiano, are lawfully protected and well-known around the world.
  4. POLENTA – Polenta is maize or cornmeal food that can be served hot as a porridge side dish or left to cool before being cooked, baked, or fried. Lean into the polenta’s thirstiness, as well as a seasoning, is the secret to a truly great polenta. Cook it with stock, a splash of sugar, plenty of Parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  5. GARLIC – Italians also use fresh garlic in their cooking. It has many health benefits too. And they don’t believe in using jarred or stored garlic, the fresh one is essential for Italian meals.
  6. PORCINI MUSHROOMS – Porcini is a solid, nutty mushroom that adds a meaty flavor to vegetarian dishes and creates a rich flavor profile. Porcini roughly translates to “piglets” in Italian. The dried mushrooms are common in a broth, curry, polenta, or rice dish or you can rehydrate them in hot water or storage.

These are some of the cornerstones of Italian cooking. Each recipe and dish in Italian cuisine has a unique story to tell. Any recipes stretch back to thousands of years and haven’t changed much in that period. These easy-to-follow intricately designed recipes have been passed down through the centuries and are still common in Italian kitchens.

FINAL THOUGHT

That’s all! We hope here we did justice with your query by answering about the cornerstones of Italian cooking. Italian cooking is popular all across the globe because of carrying the legacy of their ancestors.

In case you have any suggestions, please write us back in the comments sections.