SUBSTITUTIONS AND FAT-CUT TIPS

I always fight against calories and fats (mainly cholesterol) so I always try to cut them but, being Italian and good food lover, I try to get the best from my recipes.

• When I prepare a white pasta sauce, I never use cream: try using ricotta or fat-free cream cheese melted witha little of low-fat milk: you'll have the same creany texture (and almost the same taste) but with a bunch of fat less than the original. I use the same system when I make risotto: you should add butter at the end, out of heat, I add the above mentioned mixture.
• 
  
• If you make a recipe that calls for an initial "sautee" of onions, celery, parsley and/or carrot (it happens in a lot of recipes form pasta sauces to stews, soups and more) use half of the oil and half of water or vegetable/chicken/beef broth; you'll get almost the same result but with less fat and, most important, they're not fried fats.
• 
  
• You're recipe calls for chopped leeks or shallots and you have troubles finding them, try with a mix of onions and garlic (2 parts of onions and 1 of garlic).
• 
  
• Remember that unless it is for a risotto, for pasta recipes you can use almost every kind of pasta you prefer; the only thing you have to remember is that if you use a cheese that melts (mozzarella, provolone and so on) it's better to use a short cut pasta.

I hope that these tips help you, enjoy your dishes!!!