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The Encyclopedia of Italian Food: Over 350 Classic Recipes Celebrating Italian Traditions
Authentic Italian cooking made effortless with 350+ Old World recipes.
This encyclopedic cookbook is where fresh ingredients meet timeless traditions. From effortless, handmade pastas to indulgent desserts and rustic breads, every dish is a celebration of Italy’s passion for food and flavor. Explore hundreds of antipasti, contorni, primi, secondi, pane, and dolce that make up the classic Italian meal cycle, giving you the tools to host a feast that’s as authentic as it is unforgettable.
This comprehensive collection uncovers the secrets of regional specialties and gives you insight into the cultural traditions that make Italian food so beloved worldwide. Stunning photography invites you into the kitchens of Italy, providing visual guidance and inspiration for your own creations.
Inside you’ll find:
Over 350 recipes spanning the countryside—from rustic southern classics to elegant northern specialties
Effortless handmade pastas that bring Italian craftsmanship to your kitchen
Stunning photography to inspire and instruct
A complete guide to the Italian meal, from antipasti to dolce
Whether you’re crafting a simple yet stunning plate of fresh fettuccine, baking a loaf of golden focaccia, or assembling a showstopping tiramisu, The Encyclopedia of Italian Food will bring the heart of Italy to your table.
This encyclopedic cookbook is where fresh ingredients meet timeless traditions. From effortless, handmade pastas to indulgent desserts and rustic breads, every dish is a celebration of Italy’s passion for food and flavor. Explore hundreds of antipasti, contorni, primi, secondi, pane, and dolce that make up the classic Italian meal cycle, giving you the tools to host a feast that’s as authentic as it is unforgettable.
This comprehensive collection uncovers the secrets of regional specialties and gives you insight into the cultural traditions that make Italian food so beloved worldwide. Stunning photography invites you into the kitchens of Italy, providing visual guidance and inspiration for your own creations.
Inside you’ll find:
Over 350 recipes spanning the countryside—from rustic southern classics to elegant northern specialties
Effortless handmade pastas that bring Italian craftsmanship to your kitchen
Stunning photography to inspire and instruct
A complete guide to the Italian meal, from antipasti to dolce
Whether you’re crafting a simple yet stunning plate of fresh fettuccine, baking a loaf of golden focaccia, or assembling a showstopping tiramisu, The Encyclopedia of Italian Food will bring the heart of Italy to your table.
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480 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Every home needs an authentic Italian cookbook- and The Encyclopedia of Italian Food by The Coastal Kitchen should be it. Full of recipes that focus on simple, clean ingredients and authentic Italian flavors, this book showcases recipes from the many culinary traditions from across Italy's diverse regions. Each recipe is clearly written with instructions any home cook can easily follow, and ingredients given in both imperial and metric units.
My favorite of the recipes I tried is the Spaghetti alla Carbonara- classic, simple, and delicious!
While the information in this cookbook is abundant, it is sorely lacking in accompanying photographs. I truly believe we eat with our eyes first, and I was disappointed to not have access to images to draw me in to the recipes. However, this minor flaw does allow for the number of recipes to exceed 300, which means we are getting more for the price of the book. I believe everyone will find something to love to eat (again and again) in The Encyclopedia of Italian Food!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#TheEncyclopediaofItalianFood #NetGalley
My favorite of the recipes I tried is the Spaghetti alla Carbonara- classic, simple, and delicious!
While the information in this cookbook is abundant, it is sorely lacking in accompanying photographs. I truly believe we eat with our eyes first, and I was disappointed to not have access to images to draw me in to the recipes. However, this minor flaw does allow for the number of recipes to exceed 300, which means we are getting more for the price of the book. I believe everyone will find something to love to eat (again and again) in The Encyclopedia of Italian Food!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#TheEncyclopediaofItalianFood #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
The recipes are simple but huge on flavour. Fresh ingredients are doing the heavy lifting. A little butter, some garlic, a handful of sage leaves tossed with spaghetti and suddenly you’re having a feast. Most recipes require minimal effort but deliver maximum payoff.
I immediately tested it. Casonsei alla bergamasca and carbonara. That carbonara!!! So rich. Then pasta alla gricia and strangozzi with black truffle the next night. Perfection. Not a single complaint.
If anything, this book made me feel slightly judged. Not in a bad way, but sort of like it sat back and watched me reach for ingredients and went, “interesting choice.”
While making recipes that have maybe five ingredients max (one of them being pasta, obviously), I kept thinking about my own bolognese. The one with guanciale, pork ribs, chuck steak, short ribs, homemade Italian sausages, sirloin, all shoved through my meat grinder, plus a gazillion tomatoes and fresh herbs. It’s incredible and decadent. An 8 hour labour of love that I will defend vehemently.
And then this book is just like, take some basil leaves and olive oil and you're done. And it works? It was um... humbling to say the least. I felt like my food snobbery was being put in its place. (probably not for long, I'll be back to my old self soon)
This is like The Food Lab for Italian food. Well, sort of. Because The Food Lab for Italian food already exists in the form of Marcella Hazan’s The Essentials of Italian Cooking. But you get it.
It’s not chatty or sentimental. There are no stories or cute anecdotes here and it doesn't want to be your best friend. We skip the preamble and dive straight into the recipes.
It assumes you know the basics and have your foundations down. There’s no hand-holding. It trusts you, which is kind of refreshing.
The photos are few and far between, but when they appear, they’re excellent. It's simple and really lets the food shine. There are no fancy table settings or painstakingly curated lifestyle staging. Just well-styled food on a plate.
While it’s very aesthetic and simplistic, I found it a bit difficult to read on my phone and Kindle. The layout doesn’t always translate well digitally. But I get the impression that this is 100% a physical-copy book. The kind you want on your counter with slight stains all over.
Apparently there’s a whole “The Encyclopedia of…” series by The Coastal Kitchen. I wish I hadn’t learned this information, because now I need them all.
There are a few mistakes. The biggest one is that the Plant-Based Entrees chapter includes recipes with mortadella, anchovies, sausages, salami, ham, pepperoni. Which, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't plant-based. I assume they mean vegetable-forward? But it’s definitely misleading. In a book this carefully assembled, that stands out.
Also, while a lack of photos doesn’t bother me personally, I can see it frustrating others. If visuals are important to you, that’s something to consider.
Is it going to replace Marcella books? Absolutely not. No one’s dethroning the queen. But this is still an excellent cookbook in its own right and deserves a place on the shelf.
The recipes are simple but huge on flavour. Fresh ingredients are doing the heavy lifting. A little butter, some garlic, a handful of sage leaves tossed with spaghetti and suddenly you’re having a feast. Most recipes require minimal effort but deliver maximum payoff.
I immediately tested it. Casonsei alla bergamasca and carbonara. That carbonara!!! So rich. Then pasta alla gricia and strangozzi with black truffle the next night. Perfection. Not a single complaint.
If anything, this book made me feel slightly judged. Not in a bad way, but sort of like it sat back and watched me reach for ingredients and went, “interesting choice.”
While making recipes that have maybe five ingredients max (one of them being pasta, obviously), I kept thinking about my own bolognese. The one with guanciale, pork ribs, chuck steak, short ribs, homemade Italian sausages, sirloin, all shoved through my meat grinder, plus a gazillion tomatoes and fresh herbs. It’s incredible and decadent. An 8 hour labour of love that I will defend vehemently.
And then this book is just like, take some basil leaves and olive oil and you're done. And it works? It was um... humbling to say the least. I felt like my food snobbery was being put in its place. (probably not for long, I'll be back to my old self soon)
This is like The Food Lab for Italian food. Well, sort of. Because The Food Lab for Italian food already exists in the form of Marcella Hazan’s The Essentials of Italian Cooking. But you get it.
It’s not chatty or sentimental. There are no stories or cute anecdotes here and it doesn't want to be your best friend. We skip the preamble and dive straight into the recipes.
It assumes you know the basics and have your foundations down. There’s no hand-holding. It trusts you, which is kind of refreshing.
The photos are few and far between, but when they appear, they’re excellent. It's simple and really lets the food shine. There are no fancy table settings or painstakingly curated lifestyle staging. Just well-styled food on a plate.
While it’s very aesthetic and simplistic, I found it a bit difficult to read on my phone and Kindle. The layout doesn’t always translate well digitally. But I get the impression that this is 100% a physical-copy book. The kind you want on your counter with slight stains all over.
Apparently there’s a whole “The Encyclopedia of…” series by The Coastal Kitchen. I wish I hadn’t learned this information, because now I need them all.
There are a few mistakes. The biggest one is that the Plant-Based Entrees chapter includes recipes with mortadella, anchovies, sausages, salami, ham, pepperoni. Which, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't plant-based. I assume they mean vegetable-forward? But it’s definitely misleading. In a book this carefully assembled, that stands out.
Also, while a lack of photos doesn’t bother me personally, I can see it frustrating others. If visuals are important to you, that’s something to consider.
Is it going to replace Marcella books? Absolutely not. No one’s dethroning the queen. But this is still an excellent cookbook in its own right and deserves a place on the shelf.
July 3, 2026
A book I would call basic, but for the ridiculously encyclopaedic approach. We start with pasta – yes, making our own – and while other books would make sure to pictorially portray them all, and/or tell us the meaning of the types we were making ("scialatielli", "busiate", "sagne ncannulate" etc etc), this just ploughs on. "The day before you are going to prepare the culurgiones…" I'd suggest googling them to work out if you want to make them. I mean I do dislike the typical yack of a recipe book, but this doesn't try to tell us what they are or where they're from (Sardinia, apparently…). Instead it has the veritable cheek to tell us to check out the folding and patterning on utube. So, basic.
The same routine continues when the pasta has been made (and note there are lots of recipes that need pasta forms we've not been told how to do) and we're just told to cut up ventricina with no indication it's actually a type of salami. First, catch your cardoons...
And then a further trap crops up – one familiar to longer-term followers of these publishers. We're told the recipe for pappardelle al ragu di cinghiale – but the ragu recipe is carefully put on a different page. BUT IT'S NEVER USED AGAIN – it's in isolation purely to annoy. The one recipe involving the ragu is making it, and bunging it over salted pasta – you don't need two locations hundreds of pages apart to get that across. Why on earth have "how to make this ragu" on this page at the end, and at the start of the book have "the one thing to do with this ragu is…"?
On the positive side is the welter of dishes this can show us we might not know about. The meat mains will come as a surprise to the person thinking Italian is pizza, pasta, repeat – as long as we have a Dutch oven we're doing veal, duck, beef, rabbit, and many of them lots of ways. Copious breads, and different regional focaccia-related courses are all present, and we're never buying in for a base. We make so much bread it's a surprise that weird soup with bread and half-poached eggs is still with sliced white.
And yet, this doesn't fail, however, as a bare-bones reference book. Although if you come here needing anything like a hand being held – or a translation ready for the dinner party chat – then you're scuppered. And if you don't want a comforting chat about where the dishes come from and what you're aiming for, you either might as well be a pro, or just cook from utube like the rest of us. I skimmed the puddings, as whether I should end up with one or a hundred things I had no way sans google to know what they ought to be.
So I'd avoid if you thought this might inspire exploration – it's about as welcoming as, say, landing in a Chinese railway station offering a thousand destinations, while knowing nothing about any of them. For reference by the knowledgeable only, I feel – but for them it's probably worth every lira.
The same routine continues when the pasta has been made (and note there are lots of recipes that need pasta forms we've not been told how to do) and we're just told to cut up ventricina with no indication it's actually a type of salami. First, catch your cardoons...
And then a further trap crops up – one familiar to longer-term followers of these publishers. We're told the recipe for pappardelle al ragu di cinghiale – but the ragu recipe is carefully put on a different page. BUT IT'S NEVER USED AGAIN – it's in isolation purely to annoy. The one recipe involving the ragu is making it, and bunging it over salted pasta – you don't need two locations hundreds of pages apart to get that across. Why on earth have "how to make this ragu" on this page at the end, and at the start of the book have "the one thing to do with this ragu is…"?
On the positive side is the welter of dishes this can show us we might not know about. The meat mains will come as a surprise to the person thinking Italian is pizza, pasta, repeat – as long as we have a Dutch oven we're doing veal, duck, beef, rabbit, and many of them lots of ways. Copious breads, and different regional focaccia-related courses are all present, and we're never buying in for a base. We make so much bread it's a surprise that weird soup with bread and half-poached eggs is still with sliced white.
And yet, this doesn't fail, however, as a bare-bones reference book. Although if you come here needing anything like a hand being held – or a translation ready for the dinner party chat – then you're scuppered. And if you don't want a comforting chat about where the dishes come from and what you're aiming for, you either might as well be a pro, or just cook from utube like the rest of us. I skimmed the puddings, as whether I should end up with one or a hundred things I had no way sans google to know what they ought to be.
So I'd avoid if you thought this might inspire exploration – it's about as welcoming as, say, landing in a Chinese railway station offering a thousand destinations, while knowing nothing about any of them. For reference by the knowledgeable only, I feel – but for them it's probably worth every lira.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As the author explains at the beginning of the book, this book is focused on Italian food, as served in Italy. And because of the various regions of Italy, the traditional food eaten varies from location to location. While the book is not packed with photographs, the food is presented in very appetizing photos.
The first chapter is dedicated to making fresh pasta, including shaping it. Some shapes are well known to many Americans, others may be more unusual. Some recipes produce a pasta meal that is ready for eating at the table. About 20% of the book is dedicated to pasta-based meals.
The second chapter is Entrees with Meat. Almost 10% of the book is dedicated to these recipes. Most of the ingredients should be readily found for US kitchens. The third chapter is dedicated to seafood.
Of interest to vegetarians, the fourth chapter is Plant-Based Entrees.
The fifth chapter is Soups and Stews. This is an area where I’ve been gaining a lot of interest in recipes for my family. Many of these recipes have little to no animal proteins, although meat and fish recipes are included.
Appetizers & Sides are well represented in their own chapter, as are Pizza and Focaccia. This is the chapter where I’d probably spend the most time, planning for meals and entertaining.
Breads make up the next chapter, and what gorgeous breads they are! Desserts are very well represented in the last chapter. This is an excellent book for people who would like to dive into authentic Italian recipes.
I received an early copy of the e-book from NetGalley and the Publisher. Thank you for the opportunity to preview it.
The first chapter is dedicated to making fresh pasta, including shaping it. Some shapes are well known to many Americans, others may be more unusual. Some recipes produce a pasta meal that is ready for eating at the table. About 20% of the book is dedicated to pasta-based meals.
The second chapter is Entrees with Meat. Almost 10% of the book is dedicated to these recipes. Most of the ingredients should be readily found for US kitchens. The third chapter is dedicated to seafood.
Of interest to vegetarians, the fourth chapter is Plant-Based Entrees.
The fifth chapter is Soups and Stews. This is an area where I’ve been gaining a lot of interest in recipes for my family. Many of these recipes have little to no animal proteins, although meat and fish recipes are included.
Appetizers & Sides are well represented in their own chapter, as are Pizza and Focaccia. This is the chapter where I’d probably spend the most time, planning for meals and entertaining.
Breads make up the next chapter, and what gorgeous breads they are! Desserts are very well represented in the last chapter. This is an excellent book for people who would like to dive into authentic Italian recipes.
I received an early copy of the e-book from NetGalley and the Publisher. Thank you for the opportunity to preview it.
April 30, 2026
We are making our own pasta here people. This is a great recipe book that includes more than the basic staples of pasta that most cookbooks include. Broken into sections, it has vegetable, meat, fish, and everything in between types of pasta. It also delves into dishes without pasta, though it does provide several different types of pizza for those of you looking to switch it up. My favorite thing is focaccia, I could eat it all day, every day, but this has several versions of it, which makes me super happy, as does the section on breads. A good amount of desserts are covered (yes, there is cannoli) and overall it's a pretty expansive book on varying Italian recipes. I think my only complaint on it (and I'm working with an advanced copy, so it may not be in my version) is that there aren't enough pictures to see what is being made, and the lack of description with each recipes. You sort of have to read through the recipe in order to figure out what you're making. I'm still cooking with it.
I received an advanced reader copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received an advanced reader copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 4, 2026
***ARC from NetGalley***
The introduction mentions that there is no one Italian food. Each region has specific techniques or ingredients that are unique to them.
Given that introduction, I was expecting that the recipes that followed would have information related to these nuances. It does not. The book consists of recipes arranged by category of food (pasta, entrees with meat, entrees with seafood, etc.) There is no information about the history of the entree or even the region of where it is from. If they ever revise and publish a second edition, I think organization by region, with a brief one page introduction would be a wonderful addition. That and a glossary of the various Italian terms used in the recipe titles.
I can appreciate this was a herculean effort. The tome is 418 pages, with stunning photographs to entice the reader. As this is an encyclopedia, rather than a traditional cookbook, there is no section on techniques or pantry items that one would see in a cookbook. This is a reference book of recipes for the cook who is already familiar with Italian cuisine and knows exactly what they are looking for.
The introduction mentions that there is no one Italian food. Each region has specific techniques or ingredients that are unique to them.
Given that introduction, I was expecting that the recipes that followed would have information related to these nuances. It does not. The book consists of recipes arranged by category of food (pasta, entrees with meat, entrees with seafood, etc.) There is no information about the history of the entree or even the region of where it is from. If they ever revise and publish a second edition, I think organization by region, with a brief one page introduction would be a wonderful addition. That and a glossary of the various Italian terms used in the recipe titles.
I can appreciate this was a herculean effort. The tome is 418 pages, with stunning photographs to entice the reader. As this is an encyclopedia, rather than a traditional cookbook, there is no section on techniques or pantry items that one would see in a cookbook. This is a reference book of recipes for the cook who is already familiar with Italian cuisine and knows exactly what they are looking for.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oh my days... I'm drooling just browsing through these recipes 🤤😍
This really is an encyclopaedia of the overwhelming variety or Italian dishes. Italian cuisine is my absolute favourite and there are so many recipes in here that I've never heard of!
This recipe book keeps it simple and goes straight to recipes as soon as you open it up. Each recipe page is clear with just an ingredients list, cooking instructions, timings and serving amounts.
My ONLY criticism is that there aren't enough pictures of the actual food. I'm quite a visual cook when it comes to following recipes and maybe 1 in 5 recipes have an accompanying picture. When reviewing cookbooks, if there is a lack of photos to go along with the recipes I will always take a ⭐️ off my overall rating.
I can't wait for this to come out so that I can get my hands on a physical copy 🙂
This really is an encyclopaedia of the overwhelming variety or Italian dishes. Italian cuisine is my absolute favourite and there are so many recipes in here that I've never heard of!
This recipe book keeps it simple and goes straight to recipes as soon as you open it up. Each recipe page is clear with just an ingredients list, cooking instructions, timings and serving amounts.
My ONLY criticism is that there aren't enough pictures of the actual food. I'm quite a visual cook when it comes to following recipes and maybe 1 in 5 recipes have an accompanying picture. When reviewing cookbooks, if there is a lack of photos to go along with the recipes I will always take a ⭐️ off my overall rating.
I can't wait for this to come out so that I can get my hands on a physical copy 🙂
June 1, 2026
As the author explains at the beginning of the book, this book is focused on authentic Italian food. Several regions of Italy are represented with the traditional food eaten from the various locations. The book does not have a ton of photos, but the quantity of recipes makes up for it. The pictures that are in the book are nicely presented.
The first chapter is about making fresh pasta, including shaping it.
Other chapters are: Entrees with Meat, seafood, Plant-Based Entrees, Soups and Stews, Appetizers & Sides, Pizza and Focaccia.
Breads and desserts make up the final chapters. This is an excellent book for people who would like to create authentic Italian recipes.
I received an early copy of the e-book from NetGalley and the Publisher. Thank you for the opportunity to preview it.
The first chapter is about making fresh pasta, including shaping it.
Other chapters are: Entrees with Meat, seafood, Plant-Based Entrees, Soups and Stews, Appetizers & Sides, Pizza and Focaccia.
Breads and desserts make up the final chapters. This is an excellent book for people who would like to create authentic Italian recipes.
I received an early copy of the e-book from NetGalley and the Publisher. Thank you for the opportunity to preview it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I highly suspect this cookbook was written by AI. It’s really the only plausible explanation. There is no author listed and it’s just hundreds of recipes with Italian names, with no intros about them, virtually no photos other than a few stock photos from shutterstock, and no real rhyme or reason to the recipes. The recipes in the plant based chapter are full of ingredients like ham, anchovies and Italian sausage. With no photographs or English names, you often have no idea what you would even be making, and the ingredients often don’t even sound right. The instructions often sound off as well.
I read a temporary digital copy of this book via netgalley.
I read a temporary digital copy of this book via netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a pretty, informative book with accessible recipes. I may have missed this, but I would have liked a bit more background about the author(s) and what gives them particular expertise in all things Italian food – I,e. Why this book, versus the (many) books about Italian food out there? That would have given the book a bit more credibility up front, at least for me. I’m also not sure why this book is an “encyclopedia” rather than a cookbook. That being said, it’s a pretty book with recipes that seem simple enough to follow.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As this called an "encyclopedia of Italian cooking", I was expecting some background on the recipes or styles of cooking but instead it's just a collection of different recipes.
Don't get me wrong; they all sound amazingly delicious and I can't wait to try some of them out but a few more pictures would've be ideal for novices like me who have no idea what some of the meals are.
Thank you to Netgalley and Cider Mill Press for providing me with an advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
Don't get me wrong; they all sound amazingly delicious and I can't wait to try some of them out but a few more pictures would've be ideal for novices like me who have no idea what some of the meals are.
Thank you to Netgalley and Cider Mill Press for providing me with an advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for this Arc!!
This cook book is very well written and I absolutely loved all of the images that were included! I can’t believe there is so much to learn and this encyclopedia really covered so much!
I would love to see some translations to english for the titles as this would make it easier to read and share with other people.
This is really great for everyday people to home cooking for families and friends and I can’t wait to try out a recipe!
This cook book is very well written and I absolutely loved all of the images that were included! I can’t believe there is so much to learn and this encyclopedia really covered so much!
I would love to see some translations to english for the titles as this would make it easier to read and share with other people.
This is really great for everyday people to home cooking for families and friends and I can’t wait to try out a recipe!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is a good selection of recipes, well laid out and easy to follow. However, lacking in pictures, it would be really useful to have a picture to each recipe so that you know how it should look. I would have liked to know where each recipe is from, which region and a bit of background also, that is what I expect from an encyclopaedia.
A nice book, though which I’m sure will be a good addition to people’s kitchens.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc
A nice book, though which I’m sure will be a good addition to people’s kitchens.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As an Italian American I am picky with things labeled Italian, I judge them with a more critical eye. This book however is 👌 I looked at certain recipes to see how similar they are to my own handed down recipes before I could trust the rest, and it passes the test! I absolutely love the fact that it starts with different pasta recipes, this is a must have for anyone who cooks in any capacity!!
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read
February 17, 20264.5*
Complete encyclopedia of Italian food featuring beautiful picture and easy to follow recipes. There are so many categories of yummy items.
Thank you to @netgalley for my eARC. It's a beautiful comprehensive book.
Complete encyclopedia of Italian food featuring beautiful picture and easy to follow recipes. There are so many categories of yummy items.
Thank you to @netgalley for my eARC. It's a beautiful comprehensive book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I found myself rather disappointed to have a promising cookbook in my hands, but when I opened it, the book was severely lacking in photography to go alongside the recipes being offered. The book itself is well organized, the number of recipes offered is robust, but I am left uninspired.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The food pictures are amazing and there’s tons of recipes for you to try out. But I felt a little disappointed as I was expecting this book to be more than just a compilation of recipes. I would have loved to learn some history or background about the various Italian foods.
July 4, 2026
The Encyclopedia of Italian Food is a comprehensive cookbook featuring a wide range of Italian recipes. From classics to some lesser-known recipes, this has the basics to make any Italian recipe you want to try.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
E-ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!
In this Italian cookbook, there are plentiful recipes. The recipes themselves, unfortunately, don't offer much information beyond the instructions and ingredients, so it seems lacking in personality. I also wished to have included more photographs associated with the recipes. The book itself was filled with a variety of recipes from pasta making, seafood, vegetarian, meat, breads, pizzas, and desserts, where I look forward to trying out the ones I saved.
In this Italian cookbook, there are plentiful recipes. The recipes themselves, unfortunately, don't offer much information beyond the instructions and ingredients, so it seems lacking in personality. I also wished to have included more photographs associated with the recipes. The book itself was filled with a variety of recipes from pasta making, seafood, vegetarian, meat, breads, pizzas, and desserts, where I look forward to trying out the ones I saved.
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