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30th out of 696 books
—
665 voters
Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
With more than 100 illustrations by Karin Kretschman.
Hardcover, 704 pages
Published
October 27th 1992
by Knopf
(first published February 12th 1976)
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My favorite when it comes to Italian food. I love Marcella, though my Italian friend Christiana says Marcella and her adorable husband are "trailer court Italian."
We actually own TWO copies of this book, the nice newer copy you pick up to leaf through, and a tattered older copy that I learned Italian cooking from. It has a permanent rip for the risotto recipe, the polenta recipe, the braised carrot with parmesean recipe and something else. Oh yeah, the braised leeks. Ah-MAHZ-ing.
Marcella can be...more
We actually own TWO copies of this book, the nice newer copy you pick up to leaf through, and a tattered older copy that I learned Italian cooking from. It has a permanent rip for the risotto recipe, the polenta recipe, the braised carrot with parmesean recipe and something else. Oh yeah, the braised leeks. Ah-MAHZ-ing.
Marcella can be...more
01/01/2013
Tahun baru, harapan baru, genre buku baru..dan ini dia..jreng..jreng..culinary books..tebel benget lagi..buku bantal..untung maya bentuknya ;p dan bacanya aja sampe setahun..
Ahh..harus ngomong dari mana ya..Italia, bicara tentang tentang Italia..apa hal pertama yang terlintas dibenak anda? Sepakbola; milanisti..ayo siapa fansnya milanisti?? Atau mungkin anda fansnya the old lady alias La Vecchia Signora ? oke lanjut lagi..apa lagi yang terlintas dibenak anda, bicara tentang Italia? Fas...more
Tahun baru, harapan baru, genre buku baru..dan ini dia..jreng..jreng..culinary books..tebel benget lagi..buku bantal..untung maya bentuknya ;p dan bacanya aja sampe setahun..
Ahh..harus ngomong dari mana ya..Italia, bicara tentang tentang Italia..apa hal pertama yang terlintas dibenak anda? Sepakbola; milanisti..ayo siapa fansnya milanisti?? Atau mungkin anda fansnya the old lady alias La Vecchia Signora ? oke lanjut lagi..apa lagi yang terlintas dibenak anda, bicara tentang Italia? Fas...more
This was the first "real" cookbook I ever had.
Well, that's not quite fair. The old stand by red and white checked "Better Homes" cookbook that Mom gave me when I went off to college worked well for some key dishes, and doesn't deserve the quite so much of the dissing it gets.
But Marcella Hazan's masterpiece can teach a raw novice how to love food. For twenty years I've been going back to it, after some pretty long detours through other classic cookbooks, and it just keeps dropping my jaw.
She tau...more
Well, that's not quite fair. The old stand by red and white checked "Better Homes" cookbook that Mom gave me when I went off to college worked well for some key dishes, and doesn't deserve the quite so much of the dissing it gets.
But Marcella Hazan's masterpiece can teach a raw novice how to love food. For twenty years I've been going back to it, after some pretty long detours through other classic cookbooks, and it just keeps dropping my jaw.
She tau...more
I absolutely love this cookbook. I'm not much of a cook, lack of experience in the kitchen. Well, I've been on a cookbook craze of late. I'm attempting to learn to cook. After seeing great reviews for Hazan's classic, I decided to get it. I was a bit nervous, given my lack of culinary skills. I'm here to tell you this cookbook is accessible even to the novice. One thing I love about this book is the information regarding the differences in cooking throughout Italy. I love history and learning ab...more
This book combines Hazan's first two books, the Classic Italian Cookbook and More Classic Italian Cooking. While the combined volume is convenient, something is lost. Specifically, in the original works, Hazan gave suggest accompaniments for each recipe. You pick a Primi course, for instance, and she suggests Secondis, and vice versa. This helps you to come up with a truly Italian meal, as two courses are characteristic there. I have found this to be very valuable, and it has been omitted from E...more
My goto Italian cookbook. This is the essence of Italian cooking simple recipes using great ingredients. The recipes are simple and logical. Italian does not have to have garlic and gravy like sauce to be Italian.
American's often learned what Italian food was from emigrants from the south Italy that opened restaurants using red checkered table clothes. These neighborhood eatery's of the 60's and 70's often used too much garlic and served food of poor quality in my opinion.
Hazan will broaden yo...more
American's often learned what Italian food was from emigrants from the south Italy that opened restaurants using red checkered table clothes. These neighborhood eatery's of the 60's and 70's often used too much garlic and served food of poor quality in my opinion.
Hazan will broaden yo...more
This book was recommended to me by a Chef when he was teaching me the art of making fresh pasta. It is easy to use with the recipes being very clear and basically spot on. I love that Marcella has also included additional notes at the end of the recipes giving clarification and "Do ahead" pointers. I started with the pasta recipes and now have moved into the main entrees.
If you want a good starting point to produce results that will match a Chef, I suggest Drunk Roast Pork or make the Bolognese...more
If you want a good starting point to produce results that will match a Chef, I suggest Drunk Roast Pork or make the Bolognese...more
Sep 11, 2007
Kira
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone wanting to learn how to cook (especially italian)
I love this cookbook!
At the time I bought it, I was living in London with an italian man who was homesick and dreaming of mama's cooking back in Venice. I felt like the author, Signora Hazan, was my own private teacher and my live-in guinea pig definitely approved of the risotto (one of my first endeavors). And don't think it's all just pasta and starches! There are lots of recipes for soups that are easy and satisfying as meals, as well as frittate (like quiche), more than 150 pages on meats, t...more
At the time I bought it, I was living in London with an italian man who was homesick and dreaming of mama's cooking back in Venice. I felt like the author, Signora Hazan, was my own private teacher and my live-in guinea pig definitely approved of the risotto (one of my first endeavors). And don't think it's all just pasta and starches! There are lots of recipes for soups that are easy and satisfying as meals, as well as frittate (like quiche), more than 150 pages on meats, t...more
This beautifully written cookbook is a must have in any Italian kitchen. Hazan has put together some of the most delightful Italian recipes available - everything from homemade sauces to more complicated dishes that take days to make.
I would not recommend this book for beginner cooks. Hazan expects that each ingredient will be made from scratch, and navigating the book can get complicated at times. This is more for intermediate or advanced cooks who are already familiar with Italian cooking.
I would not recommend this book for beginner cooks. Hazan expects that each ingredient will be made from scratch, and navigating the book can get complicated at times. This is more for intermediate or advanced cooks who are already familiar with Italian cooking.
"Cooking" in the United States has often become an exercise in precisely following instructions in glossy magazines that are more travelogues and guidebooks for the upper middle class than actually learning anything. I have been extremely pleased to find brief but high quality cultural explanations, multiple variations of dishes, and a focus on simplicity and authenticity in this compendium of Hazan's earlier cookbooks. It's broken down intuitively into various types of dishes and ingredients, a...more
Jul 27, 2008
Angela
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Angela by:
Sam's mom
A brilliant work of comedy! That would be anytime Marcella waxes authoritarian about the exact timing for adding dried pasta to rapidly boiling water. ;)
Well, this is your book if you want authentic, well-organized, and delicious instructions to prepare meals featuring lasagne, sauteed spinach, pesto, homemade pasta, or a shockingly simple sauce for spaghetti (recipe: heat olive oil. Add garlic - optionally, add as much hot red pepper as you can hack - cook for two minutes. Toss with spaghetti a...more
Well, this is your book if you want authentic, well-organized, and delicious instructions to prepare meals featuring lasagne, sauteed spinach, pesto, homemade pasta, or a shockingly simple sauce for spaghetti (recipe: heat olive oil. Add garlic - optionally, add as much hot red pepper as you can hack - cook for two minutes. Toss with spaghetti a...more
This is a wonderful and classic cookbook. My mother has used it for years and gave me a copy some years ago and I go to it often. For pasta dishes, meat dishes, salads. There are some extraordinary dishes in this book that you have most likely not had before and will cherish for all your years as a cook and food lover. A great book for a beginner or an expert cook or anyone in between. One for the ages of your kitchen.
I heart this book deeply. This week's find in it was braised carrots. Seriously. I have been eyeing this recipe for a long while...cook until they're brown and wrinkled....that doesn't sound so nice. But man, they tasted like literal dirt candy. Sugary, earthy goodness. Her tomato sauce that is tomato, butter and onion is perfect comfort food.
Marcella is the cranky Julia Child, but she does know her Italian cooking and with her husband who writes/translates into english her books teaches you the basics of Italian cooking. Her pesto and Bolognese recipes are amazing and staples in our house. You have to put up with her snottiness (which just cracks me up), but it's worth it.
If I were stranded on a desert island (with unlimited ingredients) and could have only one cookbook with me, I would want it to be this one. Authentic, comprehensive, snobby. Never use a garlic press, never chop basil (only tear), never use a machine that exudes pasta through little holes, and lots of other good advice.
This book is amazing! I love her approach to pasta: start prepping the sauce, let it sit, cook the pasta, toss the pasta with the sauce. Eat. No fuss, just good food.
Also, her advice finally allowed me to make pasta that cuts cleanly and doesn't stick together right out of the cutter. For that alone she earns my devotion.
Also, her advice finally allowed me to make pasta that cuts cleanly and doesn't stick together right out of the cutter. For that alone she earns my devotion.
This is my desert island cookbook (well, this and Moro). The risotto, fritatta and pasta sauce recipes are amazing. Plus the classic chicken with two lemons, cacciatore-style fricassees for rabbit or chicken and the sicilian ricotta and aubergine sauce are dinner-party staples. Mmmmm...
This is one of my favorite cookbooks. Marcella has simple recipes that are delicious.
I gave it to my mom for Christmas, and we have been going through it, marking it up with our comments and notes. It's one of the books I will take with me for the rest of my life.
I gave it to my mom for Christmas, and we have been going through it, marking it up with our comments and notes. It's one of the books I will take with me for the rest of my life.
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This cookbook actually lives up to its reputation as a classic. Very thorough, with an excellent "Fundamentals" chapter that goes through all the basic building blocks of Italian cooking. No photos, but it still provides hours of fun foodie day-dreaming.
Jun 26, 2011
Ellen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
cookbook lovers, lovers of Italian cooking and food
This is a superb cookbook - covers all the bases in Italian cooking. Hazan is highly respected cookbook writer and chef and these recipes are well-written and easy to follow. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in Italian cooking in all its nuances.
Jun 04, 2007
Rebecca
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
cooks, italophiles, foodies
Shelves:
foodandwine
This is the cookbook I probably use most often. Marcella's recipes, for as intimidating as they may sound (risotti, stuffed squid, spinach and ricotta gnocchi, carciofi alla romana, etc.) are all authentic, easy to follow, and turn out properly every single time. Furthermore, there's lots of great information about ingredients (and how to select the best and freshest), history and culture as relates to ingredients and dishes, and overall good, sound cooking common-sense. She is occasionally more...more
I have never added a cookbook before but I did READ this cookbook. I'm not all the way through it but it is a FANTASTIC cookbook. I have learned a ton about Italian cooking. I have tried a few recipes and they are amazing.
A classic, every recipe a winner, only problem I have is that she sometimes over cooks the vegetables. Otherwise, my family are a hell of a lot better off thanks to Marcella. This is the one stop Italian cook book.
If ever there was an Italian cooks bible, this would be it! Everything about this cookbook is delightful and it reads like a story in some sections! Very nice addition to any kitchen bookshelf.
Great book. If you have any interest in really "learning" how to cook Italian and not just reading a recipe, this is the book. Also the world's best Pesto recipe is in this book.
I'm a not-very-good cook who would love to be a great chef. Hazan's cookbook was recommended by a friend who is a fantastic cook, and it was absolutely illuminating. About 30 pages in, I thought "man, I'm doing everything wrong!" And you will feel like that as you read this book. She has very exacting standards, and she is very peculiar about ingredients - only fresh, whole cloves of garlic that you chop yourself, never the stuff in a jar, etc. But by faithfully following her recipes to the lett...more
This is a GREAT book, a must for any cooking collection, and a great cornerstone of Italian Cookery. All the recipes I've made have been nothing short of delicious.
Cookbooks come and cookbooks go, but this one is as necessary a staple as pasta flour and olive oil if you are interested in Italian cuisine. Read it cover to cover...
This is my all time favorite Italian cookbook. She explains, teaches, entertains and makes the best roast chicken with lemons.
Love it!
Love it!
The greatest of my 40 or so cookbooks by a country mile. Everything works, and is lovingly described and put into its cultural context.
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Born in 1924 in Italy, she later moved in New York where she founded a cooking school specialized in traditional Italian cooking. She published her first cooking book, The Classic Italian Cook Book, in 1973.
More about Marcella Hazan...
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