Double-handled models offer a sharp chopping blade while eliminating the risk of accidentally cutting yourself. For home cooks without professional-level knife skills, the mezzaluna is a great way to get even and consistent results more quickly, safely, and without the need for a bulky, pricey food processor. Very large, single-blade models are even used for slicing pizza. In Italy, mezzaluna knives are traditionally used for making soffritto or pesto, but these days, with multiple modernized versions available, their uses have expanded. They’re typically used for finely chopping and mincing herbs, aromatics, and vegetables, but they can also be used for cutting cheese, nuts, chocolate, and meat. A mezzaluna knife is used with a rhythmic back-and-forth rocking motion to quickly reduce food to an even mince. More traditional versions feature a handle at each end, but modern designs often feature a single handle or no handle at all. It most often has a single blade, but some models have two or even three blades. A mezzaluna is a type of knife with a thick, curved blade (its name means “half-moon” in Italian).
