Italian Cooking: At Home With the Culinary Institute of America

by Gianni Scappin, Alberto Vanoli, Steven Kolpan

Authentic, amazing Italian cooking made easy This sumptuously photographed guide to cooking all things Italian in the home kitchen will win over both beginning and experienced cooks with authentic and inventive recipes and step-by-step guidance from the experts at the CIA. Covering a variety of dishes from snacks, pickles, and preserves to pasta, meat, fish, and dessert, Italian Cooking is the perfect primer for fresh and flavorful Italian cuisine. With rustic focaccias, long-simmered soups, and entrées with aromatic herbs, these vivid recipes are irresistible. Wine suggestions and mouthwatering photographs accompany the recipes.   Italian Cooking offers a grand tour through Italian cuisine, covering regional cuisines, wines, and histories along the way.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food

328 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2011

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Italian Cooking at Home features the gorgeous, full page photographs, clear instructions, and in-depth detail that readers have come to expect from the Culinary Institute of America. A large section describing the best cheese, wine and other foods found in each region of Italy make this a must have for anyone traveling there. I made several recipes from this cookbook and they ranged from good to great.

Focaccia al rosmarino -

This was a solid, easy focaccia recipe. I think recipes that include an overnight rise are generally more flavorful, but obviously more time consuming too. This is a good addition to an upscale, company Italian dinner and made really good sandwiches the next day.

Frittata con asparagi -

Fantastic! Better than you would expect for such simple ingredients. Cut in small slices this would make an impressive and unusual appetizer.

Insalata d'arance e finocchi -

A salad with endive, fennel, and oranges. Nothing too unexpected, but a sprinkling of black olives ups the flavor and makes a simple, winter salad a bit more special.

Spaghetti cacio e pepe -

A simple, delicious weeknight supper. Spaghetti, pecorino, and pepper I think makes the perfect comfort food dinner.

Polenta co sugo di saliccia -

This is a showstopper of a company dish. The spicy sausage sauce combined with the creamy polenta was heavenly. It was relatively easy to make and didn't require any hard to find ingredients.

So many dishes left to try! There are many delicious looking fish recipes, deserts, duck and rabbit......I will be cooking out of this cookbook for a while to come.

[Dona · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of the recipes sounded delicious, were clearly written, accompanied several different wine suggestions, and beautifully photographed.

I would only use a few of the recipes though because some of the ingredients can't be found where I live. A few that I would to try include Torta di riso e zucca (savory tart of rice and squash), Minesra mmmaritata ("married" soup), Pollo alle olive (chicken with olives), and Torta de pere (pear cake).