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Classico e Moderno: Essential Italian Cooking: A Cookbook
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Having won or been nominated for just about every known prestigious culinary award, Michael White is hailed by food critics as the next great hero of Italian gastronomy. His reach extends around the globe with a clutch of acclaimed fine dining restaurants, including Marea, Ai Fiori, Osteria Morini, and pizzeria Nicoletta.
Now, in Classico e Moderno, White brings his passion for authentic Italian cuisine to the home kitchen, with recipes—nearly 250—that cover both the traditional and contemporary dishes of the region. In the “Classico” portion, White shares such iconic dishes as Meatballs Braised in Tomato Sauce; Pasta and Bean Soup; Cavatelli with Lamb Ragù and Bell Peppers; and Roasted Pork Leg with Rosemary and Black Pepper. The “Moderno” chapters feature recipes that have put White’s restaurants on the map, including Chicken Liver Crostini with Marsala-Braised Onions; Fusili with Red Wine–Braised Octopus and Bone Marrow; and Veal Chops with Roasted Endive and Pancetta Cream Sauce.
Both the Classico and Moderno sections offer ideas for your whole first courses (Vitello Tonnato, Garganelli with Caviar Cream ), soups (Zuppa di Baccalá, White Bean Soup with Sautéed Shrimp), pastas (Tortellini alla Panna, Ricotta and Swiss Chard Tortelli), main courses (Pollo alla Diavola, Braised Lamb Shanks with Farrotto), and desserts (Crostata di Ricotta, Panna Cotta with Meyer Lemon–Basil Sorbet and Almond Milk Froth), as well as salads, pizzas, and basic formulas for pesto, stocks, and vinaigrettes. Including personal notes and anecdotes about White’s early sojourn in Italy and his flavorful career, Classico e Moderno will give you all the tools, tips, and tricks you need to cook tantalizing Italian dishes with the confidence of a seasoned chef.
Praise for Michael White and Classico e Moderno
“A masterpiece of culinary acumen and perfection in presentation . . . White once again sublimely deals with his cuisine of choice—Italian. In an attempt to bridge the gap between classic and modern, this chef extraordinaire offers the reader an experience in beauty and taste. . . . This book is a testament to both the importance/influence of Italian cuisine and to the rich and varied experiences its ingredients and tradition still have to offer.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Exceedingly appealing . . . [Michael White] is one of the great chefs of modern Italian food in this country, and in Classico e Moderno he teaches us enough so that we can try to follow in his footsteps.” — Vogue
“Hugely ambitious . . . White is one of a number of rising chefs here who aren’t Italian but have felt the freedom to refresh the concept of Italian food.” —Associated Press
“The future of Italian gastronomy, thanks to the spectacular inventiveness he brings to modernizing the world’s most popular cuisine.” — Gotham
“I’ve watched and tasted as Michael White has matured into his current position as one of the preeminent stewards and pioneers of Italian culinary tradition in America. Even his signature modern dishes are as relatable as the classics—and are perhaps even destined to be deemed classics in their own right some day.” —Thomas Keller , from the Foreword
“Michael White has, in very short order, grabbed the Italian food crown for New York City.” —Anthony Bourdain
Having won or been nominated for just about every known prestigious culinary award, Michael White is hailed by food critics as the next great hero of Italian gastronomy. His reach extends around the globe with a clutch of acclaimed fine dining restaurants, including Marea, Ai Fiori, Osteria Morini, and pizzeria Nicoletta.
Now, in Classico e Moderno, White brings his passion for authentic Italian cuisine to the home kitchen, with recipes—nearly 250—that cover both the traditional and contemporary dishes of the region. In the “Classico” portion, White shares such iconic dishes as Meatballs Braised in Tomato Sauce; Pasta and Bean Soup; Cavatelli with Lamb Ragù and Bell Peppers; and Roasted Pork Leg with Rosemary and Black Pepper. The “Moderno” chapters feature recipes that have put White’s restaurants on the map, including Chicken Liver Crostini with Marsala-Braised Onions; Fusili with Red Wine–Braised Octopus and Bone Marrow; and Veal Chops with Roasted Endive and Pancetta Cream Sauce.
Both the Classico and Moderno sections offer ideas for your whole first courses (Vitello Tonnato, Garganelli with Caviar Cream ), soups (Zuppa di Baccalá, White Bean Soup with Sautéed Shrimp), pastas (Tortellini alla Panna, Ricotta and Swiss Chard Tortelli), main courses (Pollo alla Diavola, Braised Lamb Shanks with Farrotto), and desserts (Crostata di Ricotta, Panna Cotta with Meyer Lemon–Basil Sorbet and Almond Milk Froth), as well as salads, pizzas, and basic formulas for pesto, stocks, and vinaigrettes. Including personal notes and anecdotes about White’s early sojourn in Italy and his flavorful career, Classico e Moderno will give you all the tools, tips, and tricks you need to cook tantalizing Italian dishes with the confidence of a seasoned chef.
Praise for Michael White and Classico e Moderno
“A masterpiece of culinary acumen and perfection in presentation . . . White once again sublimely deals with his cuisine of choice—Italian. In an attempt to bridge the gap between classic and modern, this chef extraordinaire offers the reader an experience in beauty and taste. . . . This book is a testament to both the importance/influence of Italian cuisine and to the rich and varied experiences its ingredients and tradition still have to offer.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Exceedingly appealing . . . [Michael White] is one of the great chefs of modern Italian food in this country, and in Classico e Moderno he teaches us enough so that we can try to follow in his footsteps.” — Vogue
“Hugely ambitious . . . White is one of a number of rising chefs here who aren’t Italian but have felt the freedom to refresh the concept of Italian food.” —Associated Press
“The future of Italian gastronomy, thanks to the spectacular inventiveness he brings to modernizing the world’s most popular cuisine.” — Gotham
“I’ve watched and tasted as Michael White has matured into his current position as one of the preeminent stewards and pioneers of Italian culinary tradition in America. Even his signature modern dishes are as relatable as the classics—and are perhaps even destined to be deemed classics in their own right some day.” —Thomas Keller , from the Foreword
“Michael White has, in very short order, grabbed the Italian food crown for New York City.” —Anthony Bourdain
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
34 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Michael White
3 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Michael White, a Wisconsin native, began his award-winning culinary career at Chicago’s renowned Spiaggia and Ristorante San Domenico in Imola, Italy. After eight years in Italy he moved to New York City and partnered with Ahmass Fakahany to form the Altamarea Group, which currently owns seven restaurants, including Marea in New York City (which holds two Michelin stars and won the 2009 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and membership in Relais & Chateaux) and Al Molo in Hong Kong. Additional locations include the Michelin one-starred Ai Fiori, Osteria Morini in SoHo and Washington, D.C., Due Mari and Osteria Morini in New Jersey, and Nicoletta Pizzeria. The group will open three additional New York City locations in 2013. White and his recipes and restaurants are featured regularly, everywhere from The New York Times to Esquire to the Today show. Michael White lives in New York with his wife and daughter.
Michael White, a Wisconsin native, began his award-winning culinary career at Chicago’s renowned Spiaggia and Ristorante San Domenico in Imola, Italy. After eight years in Italy he moved to New York City and partnered with Ahmass Fakahany to form the Altamarea Group, which currently owns seven restaurants, including Marea in New York City (which holds two Michelin stars and won the 2009 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and membership in Relais & Chateaux) and Al Molo in Hong Kong. Additional locations include the Michelin one-starred Ai Fiori, Osteria Morini in SoHo and Washington, D.C., Due Mari and Osteria Morini in New Jersey, and Nicoletta Pizzeria. The group will open three additional New York City locations in 2013. White and his recipes and restaurants are featured regularly, everywhere from The New York Times to Esquire to the Today show. Michael White lives in New York with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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May 27, 2025read for the 2025 library challenge.
January 6, 2022
Loved it! This is one book that will be on my bookshelf forever. I will return to it again and again for years to come. Great recipes, great techniques, and they work! My hubby is loving the results that I get when I cook from this book!
March 6, 2022
There are some fabulous recipes in this coffee table size book by Chef Michael White, formerly a partner in NYC Marea. Lovely photos and interesting information from the chef on equipment and products he uses and recommends....ie brands of canned tomatoes, salt, wine to cook with, etc. I prepared his recipe for Tagliatelle Bolognese, which I had enjoyed at Due Mari, his restaurant in New Brunswick NJ (now closed). and it turned out great. And there are several other recipes I hope to try. -
The negative for this book is the large size and that the print is a subdued sepia color (deliberately I believe) which makes it hard for my aging eyes to read, and impossible to cook from. Make a photocopy to use while cooking? Very difficult, almost impossible with this book 's large pages and sepia print. I had to carefully create a WORD document, which was time consuming, to have the recipe n front of me while cooking. Purchase an ebook copy instead? Yes, you can set up your Ipad or tablet in the kitchen near the cooking area; but the e-book also does not offer the print option- which is why I believe the sepia print of my big book is deliberate.
However the recipe I made was so good- needed almost no extra seasoning, that I am not sorry i bought the book (at a discount price on ebay). And I plan to cook some more of Chef's recipes. But I cannot award 5 stars to a cookbook that is hard to read and almost impossible to make a printed copy to cook from..
The negative for this book is the large size and that the print is a subdued sepia color (deliberately I believe) which makes it hard for my aging eyes to read, and impossible to cook from. Make a photocopy to use while cooking? Very difficult, almost impossible with this book 's large pages and sepia print. I had to carefully create a WORD document, which was time consuming, to have the recipe n front of me while cooking. Purchase an ebook copy instead? Yes, you can set up your Ipad or tablet in the kitchen near the cooking area; but the e-book also does not offer the print option- which is why I believe the sepia print of my big book is deliberate.
However the recipe I made was so good- needed almost no extra seasoning, that I am not sorry i bought the book (at a discount price on ebay). And I plan to cook some more of Chef's recipes. But I cannot award 5 stars to a cookbook that is hard to read and almost impossible to make a printed copy to cook from..
July 26, 2016
Beautiful book and fabulous chef!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews