Pantry Raid: Ufficio chef Ivana Raca’s five essential kitchen supplies

We’re asking chefs to peer into their pantries and tell us their top shelf-stable essentials. Here are five staples that Ufficio chef and co-owner Ivana Raca made sure to stock up on before we went into lockdown.

High-protein flour

What kind: Pane e la Pizza or Crostate Ciscotti Where she bought it: Eataly
What she makes with it: “I’ve been making bread once a week like a mad woman! I used a mixture of these two flours to make some beautiful sourdough loaves.”

Gluten-free pasta

What kind: Rummo Mezzi Rigatoni N°5 Where she bought it: McEwan’s
What she does with it: “I’m a huge fan of gluten-free pasta—when I eat a bowl of it late at night, I don’t feel bloated or guilty the next morning. Most of the time I’ll make cacio e pepe with it, but sometimes I’ll just top it with some Grasslands butter and basil.”

Gianduja cream

What kind: Golosi Di Salute Where she bought it: Eataly
What she does with it: “I’m a huge fan of tasty spreads and jams. I love Nutella, but I refuse to buy it because it’s made with palm oil. These chocolate spreads are rich, decadent and luxurious. I slather them right onto anything I bake. It’s so, so, so good! I usually get baking around 11 p.m.—right after my pasta sessions.”

Organic chickpea flour

What kind: President’s Choice Where she bought it: Loblaws
What she does with it: “One of my favourite things to do with this is make farinata, which is basically a flat crêpe. The chickpea flour gives the dish a good density and texture. I top my farinata with caramelized onions, garlic, rosemary and black olives. It’s my attempt to remake Zucca’s farinata, which I absolutely love.”

Tunisian extra-virgin olive oil

What kind: Terra Delyssa Where she bought it: Costco
What she does with it: “I buy a lot of olive oil but this baby is my favourite. I drink it like it’s water and finish all kinds of dishes with it—maybe it’s because I’m Mediterranean and olive oil is in my blood!”