Lidia Bastianich, loved by millions of Americans for her good
Italian cooking, gives us her most instructive and personal
cookbook yet.
Focusing on the Italian-American kitchen—the cooking she
encountered when she first came to America as a young
adolescent—she pays homage to this “cuisine of adaptation born of
necessity.” But she transforms it subtly with her light,
discriminating touch, using the authentic ingredients, not
accessible to the early immigrants, which are all so readily
available today. The aromatic flavors of fine Italian olive oil,
imported Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gorgonzola dolce latte, fresh
basil, oregano, and rosemary, sun-sweetened San Marzano tomatoes,
prosciutto, and pancetta permeate the dishes she makes in her
Italian-American kitchen today. And they will transform for you
this time-honored cuisine, as you cook with Lidia, learning from
her the many secret, sensuous touches that make her food
superlative.
You’ll find recipes for Scampi alla Buonavia the garlicky shrimp
that became so popular when Lidia served the dish at her first
restaurant, Buonavia, Clams Casino with roasted peppers and good
American bacon, Caesar Salad shaved Parmigiano makes the
difference, baked cannelloni with roasted pork and mortadella,
and lasagna blanketed in her special Italian-American Meat
Sauce.
But just as Lidia introduced new Italian regional dishes to her
appreciative clientele in Queens in the seventies, so she dazzles
us now with pasta dishes such as Bucatini with Chanterelles, Spring
Peas, and Prosciutto, and Long Fusilli with Mussels, Saffron, and
Zucchini. And she is a master at teaching us how to make our own
ravioli, featherlight gnocchi, and genuine Neapolitan pizza.
The key to her delectable fish and meat cooking is the aromatic
vegetables that so often form an integral part of the dish—sole
with oregano, vidalias, and tomatoes; tenderloin with potatoes,
peppers, and onions; sausages with bitter broccoli. Try her version
of scallopine with sautéed lemon slices, garlic slivers, capers,
and green olives—you’ll be hooked.
Soups are Lidia’s specialty, particularly hearty bean and pasta
soups—meals in themselves. And you can top off a Lidia feast with
traditional Italian-American favorites, such as a perfect
Zabaglione or cannoli, or one of her own creations—Lemon Delight or
Roasted Pears and Grapes.
Laced with stories about her experiences in America and her
discoveries as a cook, this enchanting book is both a pleasure to
read and a joy to cook from.