Taste Test

• Visit local pizzerias and restaurants that serve authentic Italian fare. Invite a friend or two along and order several appetizers and main courses to share. Sample dishes you've never tried before. Make note of the ones you like most.
  
  

Food Shop

• Much Italian cooking rests on a foundation of simple ingredients, such as fresh basil and parsley, cloves of garlic, different types of flour, homemade or premade pasta, various aged and soft cheeses, tomatoes and peppers, olive oil and olives, fresh bread, vegetables and meats.
  
  

Tools of the Trade

• If you've been cooking for a while, you may find the tools you need in your cabinets and drawers just waiting to be used. If you are new to the kitchen, you're going to have to buy a few things. Put the following on your list: a medium to large colander, cheese grater, food mill (for squeezing the juice from whole tomatoes), garlic press, large stockpot and large nonstick skillet. If Italian cooking becomes a long-term pursuit, you'll eventually want to buy a pasta machine.
  
  

Find Recipes

• Unless you have a friend or relative who has an Italian grandmother, you're going to need to search for recipes. Sift through Italian cookbooks at the library and/or websites and instructional videos on the Internet. You can also learn about Italian cooking by watching television programs such as "Everyday Italian" with Giada DeLaurentiis on The Food Network and "Lidia's Italy" with Lidia Bastianich on PBS.
  
  

The Basics

• Every Italian cook has a favorite recipe for marinara, a.k.a., tomato sauce or "gravy," so start your Italian cooking pursuits there. Other must-haves include meatballs; an easy-to-shape homemade pasta, such as gnocchi or cavatelli; and garlic bread or bruschetta. Roasted red peppers make a delicious side dish served with provolone cheese and warm, fresh bread, as do artichoke salad and cracked green olives. Put together, these basics make a fine meal that even a beginner can be proud of.
  
  As your skills and confidence grow, try your hand at the more complicated stuffed mushrooms, manicotti, stuffed shells, chicken parmesan or eggplant rollatini.
  
  

And Beyond

• Further your knowledge by taking Italian cooking classes locally, in nearby cities, or in Italy.