6 Ingredients Mario Batali Always Has In His Fridge

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You might recognize the renowned American chef by his orange crocks. Mario Batali is one of the most respected chefs in the world. He has cooking hacks for everything and an endless supply of food advice. Mario teamed up with Joe Bastianich (American restaurateur) to create B&B Hospitality, a crazy successful restaurant empire that spans New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Singapore. He has been a leader in regional and local variations of Italian cuisine and he’s a leading force behind Eataly, the largest Italian food hall in the world.

Mario is also a part of The Chew — a daytime Emmy-winner inspired by ABC’s The View, but geared toward food and lifestyle — where he’s on a panel with Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz and Michael Symon. So what does the man who’s written eleven cookbooks and counting have in his fridge? Mario’s cooking philosophy is to use the best, local ingredients as simply as possible. Here’s the rundown.

1. Chilled White Wine Or Champagne

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In Mario’s world, chilled white wine or champagne is at the top of the list. He says, “You never know when a guest will stop by unexpectedly.” No matter what, Mario always has a couple of bottles ready to pop open when company arrives. You’ll get more use out of a bottle of white wine than red or rosé, since you can easily cook with it too.

2. Sriracha

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One of the things Mario can’t live without is hot sauce. You’ll find him using hot sauce on everything in his fridge from sandwiches to veggies. Every chef has that one ingredient that he or she uses to kick dishes up a notch. Hot sauce also happens to be a must-have of celebrity chefs Guy Fieri and Marcus Samuelsson. Here’s how to marry hot sauce with what you’re eating.

3. Egg Whites

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One of the crock-loving chef’s favorite recipes on The Chew is his Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Mario makes carbonara with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), pancetta, spaghetti, Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs and freshly ground black pepper. Egg whites are one of the most important components of this classic Italian dish and they’re one of Mario’s top three ingredients that he keeps in his fridge at all times.

4. Pizza Dough

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It’s pretty fitting that an Italian chef would have pizza dough in his or her fridge at all times. When it comes to ingredients that work as double agents, Mario’s go-to is pizza dough, which he also uses to make first-rate cinnamon rolls. You can use pizza dough for everything from scallion pancakes to doughnuts.

5. Parmigiano-Reggiano

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This hard Italian cheese is like gold. It’s one of those ingredients you should never skimp on. Real parmesan is aged for at least a year and its bold, sharp flavor can take pretty much any dish and make it taste gourmet. Mario calls this masterfully-aged cheese the “undisputed king of cheeses.” In an interview with In Style, he says to “save the rinds in the freezer for soup.” You heard it from the master himself. Go buy yourself a hunk of real parmesan.

6. Fine Sea Salt, Good Quality EVOO And Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

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Mario is on his game when it comes to Instagram. You’ll find these little videos under the hashtag #batalisnacks where someone hands him an unexpected ingredient and he quickly and effortlessly tells you the perfect dish to make with it. They’re fun, creative and educational, plus this guy knows how to make anything look good. There’s a pattern throughout all of these videos. He’s always using fine sea salt, good quality EVOO and freshly cracked black pepper to season his food.

If you have old spices lying around, chances are they aren’t doing your food any favors. Treat yourself to some new seasonings and olive oil. With these three ingredients, you can make basically anything taste restaurant quality.