Let’s Eat Italy!: Everything You Want to Know About Your Favorite Cuisine (Let’s Eat Series, 2)

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(as of Nov 25, 2023 19:28:13 UTC – Details)

“A fantastic read for foodies and a luscious culinary reference.”
—Booklist

From the same team that created Let’s Eat France! comes this celebration of Italian food in the form of an oversized, obsessively complete, visual feast of a book. With a mix of gastronomy, food science, history, cultural references, legend, lore, charts, graphs, photos, and illustrations, every one of the 400 pages in Let’s Eat Italy! is an alluring and amusing journey into Italian food.
 
Readers will find recipes for classic Italian dishes spanning all regions, like pappa al pomodoro, Bolognese, risi e bisi, risotto, focaccia, frittata, and so much more—all accompanied by photos and delightfully entertaining information on the origins and modern uses of the foods. There’s an ode to the panettone, the traditional Christmas sweet delight. A dedication to the magic of basil, Italy’s “royal” herb. A love story between pasta and potatoes that examines the many dishes that marry these two starches in delicious harmony. And, of course, pasta information aplenty; it’s featured in guides like that on the ultimate noodle, spaghetti, which includes all the different forms, the top spaghetti artisans in Italy, and the semolina flour mills and farmers. True Italians speak espresso, so readers will delight in the poster-like graphic that depicts 27 different types of espresso drinks. Tips for the kitchen include cooking beans in a chianti bottle—a trick Tuscan nonnas have been using for ages in the dish known as fagioli al fiasco. Learn how contemporary food trends (like the oh-so-hip orange wine, which Italians have been drinking for nearly 8,000 years) trace their roots to Italy. But the influence of Italian food doesn’t stop at the table—an entire spread looks at the Italian Mafia’s favorite dishes as seen in Hollywood, through the lenses of Scorsese, Leone, and Coppola. Let’s Eat Italy! is a splendid exploration of this beloved cuisine, from pizza to gelato, Milan to Sicily, and from the many kitchens of Italy to your own.

From the Publisher

From the Publisher

Experience the Abundance that Italy Has to Offer

With Images that Showcase the Beauty and Diversity of Italian Culinaria

Stuffed Pasta

There are over 130 different Italian pasta shapes catalogued in the book, including over 20 different styles of stuffed pasta.

Salumi

Italy is, for many, synonymous with charcuterie. From the famous prosciutto di Parma to the precious lardo di Colonnata, readers can find an inventory of the most delicious cured meats from the peninsula.

Olives

In brine, in oil, dried, added to a martini, or to top a pizza, there is an oliva for every occasion.

Easy-to-Understand Maps, Charts, and Infographics Are a Fun Way to Learn about the Regional Specialties

The Artisan Breads of Italy

Ever since the word flour entered the Latin language and the Romans mastered arte bianca, (“white art,” referring the trade of the baker), bread has occupied a fundamental place in the Italian diet.

Choose Your Own Cheese Adventure

While climate and terroir might be words more associated with winemaking, cheese can be judged in the same way. In the colder Northern regions of Italy, harder, more aged cheeses, like parmigiano-reggiano are prevalent. In the warmer Southern regions, softer, fresher cheeses, like mozzarella, are more popular.

Start Your Day Right with an Italian Breakfast

How one starts their day depends on the region.

IN GENOA: Focaccia dipped in a latte.

IN NAPLES: Coffee with sfogliatelle, a kind of puff pastry shell filled with cream or ricotta.

IN THE DOLOMITES: The day begins with strudel.

IN SARDINIA: One eats seadas, fried ravioli with pecorino and honey.

IN ROME: The morning starts with a coffee and a maritozzo (a small pastry filled with whipped cream) or, for those who prefer a savory flavor, a tomato pizzetta.

Featuring Italy’s Greatest Cultural Figures, Who all Found Inspiration in Their Home Country’s Cuisine

The Beaneater, Annibale Carracci, 1583–1585

This iconic work is part of the comic tradition and celebrates the riches of the Bolognese terroir as much as it enjoys the ill-mannered mores of the peasant—busy, open mouthed, eagerly plunging his wooden spoon into his bowl of beans. Placed in the foreground, among onions, bread, and a jug with its glass of wine, is torta d’erbe, a Bolognese dish par excellence and the true star of the table!

Federico Fellini, Screenwriter and Director

Famed Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini filled his films with food-centric scenes. His life philosophy was a simple one: “La vita è una combinazione di pasta e di magia.”

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.”

Massimo Bottura, Chef and Owner, Osteria Francescana

This Michelin three-star chef from Modena is the most influential man in Italian gastronomy. His reinterpretation of classic dishes has inspired and invigorated the Italian culinary community, illuminating a path toward the future with an eye still fixed on tradition.

Packed with Delicious Recipes, Including Four Traditional Neapolitan Pizzas to Try at Home

Margherita Pizza

Homage to Queen Margherita di Savoia (1851–1926) in the official colors of her country.

Peeled San Marzano tomatoesMozzarellaGrana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino (optional)Basil leaves (added once baked)Extra-virgin olive oil

Prosciutto Crudo Pizza

Prosciutto

¼ cup (60 mL) tomato passata,6 slices mozzarella di bufala,4 thin slices prosciutto,A good drizzle of olive oil,A few basil leaves arranged on top, once baked.

Quattro Formaggi Pizza

Four variable main ingredients; the key is balance.

RicottaGorgonzolaSmoked provolaParmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino, Grana PadanoExtra-virgin olive oil

Anchovy Pizza

Also called Romana because of the Roman passion for anchovies.

Peeled San Marzano tomatoesPiennolo tomatoes from VesuviusAnchovies (added once baked)OreganoGarlicBlack olives (optional)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Artisan (November 9, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1648290590
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1648290596
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.16 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.25 x 1.63 x 10.13 inches