Italian Cooking Like Nonna: Authentic Family Recipes with Extraordinary Flavor and Endless Variations

Italian cooking is intuitive, friendly, and endlessly adaptable, as you’ll find as the author helpfully walks you through each recipe, with suggestions for success and variation. The deliciously simple Pepe Arrostiti (roasted peppers) is already a household staple, while the Classic Spaghetti Carbonara has never been so easy to make. Italian food honors its ingredients and takes some time, but time spent making sauces beforehand saves you effort later.

One afternoon I made the Sugo di Pomodoro, which, after cooking down for a couple hours, resulted in a smooth, velvety, rich, and flavorful tomato sauce full of complexity that belies its simple ingredient list. I used some of that to make Bolognese Sauce, which, after another long simmer, gave me a meltingly tender meat sauce. Finally, some of the Bolognese went into a baked Ziti al Forno, a hearty dish full of flavor for a wonderful weeknight dinner.

Sections for pizzas, other main dishes, sides, and desserts give you lots to try, including fresh, homemade pasta if you are feeling adventurous (although it’s not that difficult!). Take your time to explore this book; you’re sure to enjoy the comforting, delicious results––just like Nonna used to make!