Not just a great alternative to the fresh mushroom, dried porcini are an Italian pantry staple in their own right. They pack a lot of flavor and that flavor is richer and earthier. With that in mind, Coral and Elisa have put together a list of our favorite 10 ways to cook with dried porcini mushrooms.

Curious about all the various Italian risotto rice types, i.e. arborio, carnaroli (the caviar of Italian risotto rice) and vialone nano? This post is dedicated to one of Italy's most beloved comfort foods peppered with fascinating cultural food history. Buon appetito! Written by Elisa Scarton-Detti