Phrases › At the Market › Come si cucina questo?

Come si cucina questo?

How do you cook this?

Pronunciation

KO-me si ku-CHI-na KWE-sto

When to use it

Asking the vendor for cooking advice — extremely common at Italian markets.

What it means

Italian market vendors often double as culinary advisors. Asking how to cook something is completely natural and usually triggers a detailed, passionate explanation. This interaction is one of the joys of shopping at a proper Italian market rather than a supermarket.

Variations

Ha qualche ricetta da suggerirmi?

Do you have a recipe to suggest?

More formal request for a recipe suggestion

Con cosa si abbina?

What does it pair with?

Asking for pairing suggestions

Come la cucina lei?

How do you cook it yourself?

Asking the vendor's own method — most personal and authentic

Mini Dialogue

— Come si cucina la cicoria ripassata? — In padella con aglio, olio e peperoncino. Prima la bolliamo dieci minuti, poi la saltiamo. — È amara? — Un po', ma con l'aglio è divina. È la ricetta di mia nonna.

— How do you cook sautéed chicory? — In a pan with garlic, oil and chilli. First we boil it ten minutes, then sauté it. — Is it bitter? — A little, but with garlic it's divine. It's my grandmother's recipe.

Cultural Note

Cicoria ripassata in padella is a Roman institution — blanched wild chicory tossed in garlic, olive oil, and chilli. It is sold pre-blanched at many Roman market stalls (already done), requiring only the final sauté at home.

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