Yes! It's important to learn some traditional Italian cooking techniques if you want to make authentic dishes. Italian cooking uses similar techniques to French cooking with slight variations. Many Italian dishes call for high-quality ingredients that are treated with French techniques, like braising, simmering, or roasting, to bring out the amazing flavor. Another French-inspired technique is the soffrito. Commonly used in Italian cuisine, you cook onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil until tender. This adds flavor to many sauces and soups. Think of it as the Italian version of the French mirepoix! Italians also have many different techniques when it comes to making fresh pasta. It can vary from region to region. Sometimes, it comes down to pasta shape, cooking method, and what ingredients are used in the sauce. A popular way to cook pasta across Italy is to boil it in lightly salted water until al dente. Then cook/toss in the sauce for a few minutes along with some of the pasta cooking water so the sauce clings to each noodle. Don't just dump sauce on top of drained pasta. And, when it comes to pasta sauce, some Italians prefer to use a mortar and pestle to make various types of pestos and salsa cruda, and also to crush their own herbs, seeds, and spices. These are just a few popular Italian cooking techniques!