Italian Immigrant Cooking

by Elodia Rigante, Nicholas Elias (Photographer)

Enjoy the taste of old Italy! This one-of-a-kind cookbook from Elodia Rigante, a second generation Italian-American and a virtuoso cook of traditional Italian fare, features dozens of Rigante’s prized, time-tested recipes. She also includes personal reflections about each dish, traditional wisdom, helpful cooking shortcuts, and much more. Dive in and learn to - Stuffed Calamari (Calamari Farciti)
- Italian Pasta & Bean Salad (Rotini E Ceci Primavera)
- Peaches in Red Wine Sauce (Pesche Al Vino Rosso)
- Manicotti Crepes (Manicotti)
- And more! With mouthwatering, full-color photographs, a thoughtful introduction, space for writing notes, and more, this beautiful cookbook will delight the whole family!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking

191 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 1996

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite cookbooks of all time. It belongs to my boyfriends father, and everytime I go for a visit I always end up at the table after dinner, relaxing with a cup of tea, and flipping through this cookbook. I have probably read it from cover to cover a dozen times. My favourite kind of cookbooks are one's that are very personal, and written in such a passionate way as you really feel the atmosphere the in which the food was originally cooked. This book makes me feel the same was as I do when I flip through my own grandmothers German recipes.

My boyfriends family has made almost all of the dishes from this book and they are always delicious. There's some beautiful dessert recipes, and an anecdote about the grandfather dipping slices off a peach into his red wine after dinner paving the way to a red wine soaked peach recipe always sticks out in my mind. My only wish is that my boyfriends dad wouldnt covet it so much so I could steal it for myself, wahaha.

Also, the writer, Elodia Riganta, is ADORABLE. I just want to hang out with her all day and watch her make cannoli's.

Beautiful book, I definitely recommend it!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only made a couple of the recipes in this book so I'm not sure how it rates as a cookbook, but I love the stories and photos of this Italian family interspersed in the pages. The pictures of the dishes are mouthwatering as well.

[Msdldavies · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love this cookbook. It is truly immigrant cooking. We have made so many recipes from this and we cook them exactly the way the instructions say. I use the Brooklyn gravy recipe for homemade tomato sauce from our garden. Everything I have made is delicious!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

my absolute all-time favorite cookbook...my sister-in-law treat this as our Christmas dinner bible!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ms. Rigante's passion for cooking. Directions are detailed and easy to follow.

[Robert Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down, the best Italian cookbook out there! Just like Nonnie used to make!

[Carol Sutphin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Wonderful recipes.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed with old-school Italian food. This cookbook is my absolute favorite, bar none. Thank you, Mom!

[Cathleen Coombs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the recipes in this cookbook! I received it as a gift many years ago and it is a most treasured cookbook.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite cookbooks....

[Tara Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Italian cookbook of all times! Brings me right back to my Grandmother’s kitchen. The recipes are totally authentic and delicious but the photos & personal anecdotes and stories are what makes this book truly special. We refer to this cookbook as the “bible” for our Italian Christmas Eve Feast. Wish I could contact the author to let her know how special she & her book are.