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• by:
• Marchetti, Domenica

This engaging, accessible everyday Italian cookbook features 100 simple recipes highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients. The recipes are divided into six chapters, which are organized by course. Author Domenica Marchetti’s lively voice shines through in the evocative text, which grounds us in place and season. The food is rustic--loose and not perfectly composed--and the recipes use familiar ingredients but are also modern, offering a subtle element of surprise through interesting flavor pairings and the use of a wide range of produce and Italian pantry stapes. There is a festive vibe to the recipes and text--this is food to share in a casual setting with family and friends. Wine pairings are offered for every recipe, adding to the convivial feeling of the book.

Bring the bold and beloved flavors of Italy into your kitchen with this enticing collection of authentic dishes made modern. In these pages, author Domenica Marchetti shares her rich Italian heritage with an abundant array of simply prepared foods that embrace the seasons and celebrate traditional ingredients and techniques.

The more than 100 recipes are organized by course, from antipasti such as crostini with tasty toppings and saffron-infused rice croquettes to dolci like pistachio gelato and plum-almond cake. In zuppe e insalate, discover soups and salads to match every occasion, such as hearty wild rice soup with porcini and escarole, a tomato-based Livorno-style fish stew, a simple salad of beets with blood oranges and fennel, and green beans tossed with ricotta salata and lemon. You’ll also find dishes like spaghetti with summer squash and crispy speck, risotto with Prosecco and radicchio, and Roman-style pizza with spinach and olives. In pesce e carne, look for such favorites as Tuscan-style steak with crispy potatoes and roasted branzino with herbed farro. And, as in Italy, the vegetables here shine with little adornment in contorni like wine-braised broccoli rabe, spicy sautéed kale and chickpeas, and oven-roasted endive.

Wine-pairing suggestions and guides to Italian cheeses, salumi, and pantry staples round out this fresh take on home-cooked Italian fare.

"This collection reflects how I cook at home. My favorite dishes to make for family and friends are uncomplicated ones--recipes that honor ingredients and the seasons, with a nod to my Italian heritage.”