Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics

by Joe Sasto, Thea Baumann (primary_contributor)

A bold, fun, and daring collection of recipes that break the rules of Italian cooking from Top Chef and Food Network star Joe Sasto.

It’s time to ditch the same boring recipes and get creative in the kitchen. Known for his signature curled mustache and dynamic presence on shows like Bravo’s Top Chef and Food Network’s Tournament of Champions, Joe Sasto brings his culinary expertise and passion for pasta to your kitchen. Breaking the Rules is a celebration of Italian cuisine, reimagined with Joe’s unique flair, playfulness, and creativity.

Dive into a world of pasta with step-by-step techniques that guide you through creating dishes in all forms, shapes, and sizes. From classic Italian recipes like meatballs and focaccia to innovative creations such as Corn Cacio e Pepe, Marinated Tomato “Amatriciana,” and Pesto Pinwheel Pull-Apart Bread, Joe’s recipes are designed to inspire both novice and experienced cooks. Each recipe begins with a simple version, perfect for beginners, and offers variations to elevate the dish for those ready to “break the rules” and take their skills to the next level.

With stunning full-color photographs and pro tips throughout, Breaking the Rules is more than just a cookbook—it’s an invitation to embrace creativity in the kitchen. Whether you’re a fan of Joe’s many television appearances or a home cook looking to expand your repertoire, this book is a must-have for anyone passionate about Italian cuisine and culinary innovation.

Genres: Cookbooks, Italian Literature, Nonfiction, Cooking

288 pages, Hardcover

Published October 21, 2025

Reviews

[Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, approachable cookbook that celebrates Italian flavors without treating tradition like a rulebook you can’t touch. I loved the focus on making recipes your own — it felt encouraging rather than intimidating. Since I already love Italian cuisine, this was an enjoyable read with ideas I can actually see myself using. Not a life-changing cookbook, but a solid one that makes cooking feel creative and doable.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You might know the author from his appearances on Top chef or Chopped. This is his cookbook with his spin on Italian recipes. Photos of most of the recipes.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book that promotes creativity and spontaneity. The very first page urges one to “Step outside your comfort zone” and obviously there’s the title about Breaking the Rules. Sasto sprinkles inserts throughout on suggestions on spins (breaking the rules), how to use leftovers and some cheffy pro-tips.

I always enjoy reading what chef’s need in their pantry. Joe needs Calabrian chile past, flours (all-purpose, 00, and bread), Sicilian oregano (which is “more intense and earthy”), colatura (Roman fish sauce), balsamic vinegars (white and aged), Aquerello Carnaroli rice, canned tomatoes (he likes Mutti), anchovy paste, black garlic, fennel pollen, yuzu juice and marmalade, shiro dashi, olive oil, nutreal oil, cooking spray, dried pasta, pistachio butter, and xanthan gum (“chef’s secret weapon). Cheeses include Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. Interestingly enough, he prefers packaged pre-grated cheese for his Chicken Parm pasta filling. For everything else, it’s hand grated.

There are a lot of pasta tools and on pages 26-27 one glimpses into Sasto’s arsenal: multiple rolling pins, lots of ravioli presses, tons of cutters, and quite a few gnocchi boards.

Being a realist, Sasto begins his book with a fried food chapter, “Crispy Crunchy.” These recipes are mostly appetizers but they are inventive. I was intrigued by his Rice Paper Cacio e Pepe chips (38) and the Fried Castelvetrano Olives (39). To top it off (or to dip it in), he includes his recipe for Fancy Mayo (43) along with nine different variations, everything from Pepperoni Mayo to Black Garlic Mayo.

Following the fried chapter is “Fresh and Light.” Sasto maintains that the recipes in Chapter 2 are “full of big, impressive flavors and satisfying crunch” (61). It’s quite an eclectic mix with recipes spanning more appetizers (Charred Zucchini Dip–62), soups (Summer Melon Gazpacho–63), salads, lettuce wraps, and BBQ shrimp.

You will see there’s a lot more than pasta in this book. Hence, Chapter 3 and “Breaking Bread.” Here there is a recipe for Fried Potato Cheese, and Sausage Pie (88), Pesto Pull Apart Bread (98), pizza dough, stromboli, garlic knots, and fancy toasts (an homage to Carrie Baird another Top Chef competitor from his season. The most beautiful recipe (and maybe in the whole book) is found here: Rosemary and Blackberry Focaccia with Whipped Mortadella (91).

“Sharing is Caring” includes large format recipes for, obviously, sharing. It is hard to classify the recipes here: lamb chops to risotto to ribeyes to branzino. His Mom’s Meatballs is a must keep (130-131).

To accompany all the large recipes in Chapter 4, Chapter 5 includes all the accompaniments: “On the Side.” Sasto includes instructions for making your own ricotta (158) to top off his roasted radicchio (161) and his squash with spicy pumpkin seeds and “crumble rumble” (162). There are simple basic recipes here too that highlight the veggies: Asparagus Cooked in its Own Juices (171) and Grilled Broccolini (with Burrata) (173). One recipe I am saving for summer is Pesto-Rubbed Corn on the Cob (174).

Chapter 6 is all about dried pasta “Your Best Friend.” Here, Sasto promotes the cold-water pasta cooking method (181) while acknowledging that he might be banned from ever visiting Italy again. I love that he extolls the virtues of dried pasta here, for the ease of it and for the taste and bite. Some of the recipes here are totally non-traditional like Beet Bolognese (188), Corn Cacio e Pepe (196), and Pasta ala Mezcal (203).

Finally, in Chapter 7, we get to what Sasto is known for, “Made by Hand.” Honestly, I’m glad he waited this long. I am not patient at all and if I thought the book was full of fresh pasta recipes, I might have passed. There are lots of tips and instructions but the most striking thing are the step-by-step photos. I even think I might be able to fold a filled capelletti from his instructions. Most of the other recipes in Chapter 7 are for fillings, some very delicious fillings.

To end, there’s “Sweet Treats.” I was pretty blown away here too. Did you know that if you want to have a “birthday cake batter” flavor in your sugar cookies to use imitation vanilla? (That’s a tip he got from Christina Tosi.) Besides a couple of cookie recipes, there are recipes for Pistachio Calzones, a few pies, Matcha Tea-Ramisu, crepes, “French” toast, and cobbler. I was most taken with the Banana “Ice Cream” with Cinnamon, Walnuts and Dates (268), mostly because of its ease.

Sasto covers all the leftover and miscellaneous recipes one needs in the final chapter, “Essential Basic Recipes.” I’m not sure how basic they are because the first recipe is for White Pepper Marshmallows (272). Other recipes include an herbed garlic paste, praline paste (for cookie and cake fillings), and basic pie dough. I loved his take on roasted tomatoes, Tomato Raisins, on page 276 and Burnt Strawberries on page 278. (I can think of many uses for both of these roasted offerings.)

What I made:

Crunchy Caesar Salad and Garlic Streusel (79). This was amazing and reminds me of a "Little Gem" Salad from one of our favorite restaurants.

Banana “Ice Cream” with Cinnamon, Walnuts and Dates (268)

I checked Breaking the Rules out of the library but this might be one you consider buying just because of all the other recipes in the book beyond pasta

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve watched “Mustache Joe,” Joe Sasto, on Top Chef or Food Network shows, you know that he seems pretty laid-back. And in his new cookbook, Breaking the Rules, he explains why. He grew up with a mother who cooked. He spent a lot of time in her kitchen before going on to restaurant kitchens, and he learned that cooking is fun. He worries that home chefs worry about cooking. They worry about getting everything right and following the recipe exactly and having leftovers that will just get throws out. And he’s here to change all that. He wants cooking to be fun for everyone.

Breaking the Rules is a mix of Sasto’s favorite home recipes and scaled-down recipes from his professional gigs. He offers up simple recipes full of potential and adds in creative ideas to break the rules and to use up leftover ingredients. His recipes go from snacks and appetizers through

He starts with Crispy Crunchy, which I can’t be mad at. He offers up an assortment of fried dishes, like his Rice Paper Cacio e Pepe Chips, Santorini-Style Tomato Fritters, Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings, and Crispy Churros and Fonduta. He then goes on to Fresh and Light, like the Grilled Short Rib Lettuce Wraps or Kale Salad with Blueberry and Lemon Dressing. Then it’s on to Breaking the Bread, with recipes ranging from Rosemary and Blackberry Focaccia with Whipped Mortadella to Sesame Semolina Flatbreads, Staff Favorite Cornbread to Garlic Knots.

In Sharing Is Caring, the chapter on larger meals to be shared with family and friends, Sasto brings out his recipes for Risotto, Mom’s Meatballs, Black Garlic Butter Branzino, and Pork Chops with Mustard Berry Jus. In On the Side, he shares recipes that can be used as side dishes or small plates, like Carrots with Spicy Yogurt and Carrot Top Pesto, Blistered Shishitos and Dashi Mayo, Sweet Potato Wedges and Lemony Ranch, and Fresh Corn Polenta with Butter and Chives.

And after all that, we finally get to the pastas. First, in Dried Pasta Is Your Best Friend, Sasto offers up Sasto Bolo (his version of a Bolognese sauce), Butternut Mac N Cheese, Corn Cacio e Pepe, and Pasta alla Mezcal. In Made By Hand, he brings his Grano Treiso Dough to make any number of filled pastas, from Mezzaluna to Tortellini to Agnoletti. These can be paired with the filling of your choice, like the Brown Butter and Potato, Braised Pork and Roasted Pepper, or Chicken Parm. Then he brings the Potato Gnocchi and Ricotta Gnocchi. He finishes with Sweet Treats, like his Absolute Best Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies, Pistachio Calzones, Sweet Potato Pie, Matcha Tea-Ramisu, and Mom’s Crepes.

Throughout are important recipes that can be used to add flavor and elevate many dishes, like Fancy Mayos, Mom’s Red Sauce, Garlic Streusel, Classic Pesto, “Quick and Dirty” Pizza Dough, Fonduta, Whipped Cheese, Pickle Liquor (his pickle brine), Green Herb Oils, And at the end, there is a chapter of essential recipes, including Basic Pie Dough, Tomato Raisins, Garlic Confit, and Burnt Strawberries.

I loved the whimsy in this book and the many colorful photos. I’ve been a fan of Sasto for many years, and this book fits well with the big personality he shows on-screen. But I think the best thing about Breaking the Rules is the versatility he provides for home cooks wanting to build confidence. For him, cooking is about family. It’s about experimenting with flavors you love and finding what works best for you. Sasto has taken his years of cooking with his mother and his experience in professional kitchens and puts it all in these recipes, so home cooks can learn to have fun with their own cooking and share that with those they love. And is there a better reason to cook than that?

Egalleys for Breaking the Rules were provided by S&S/Simon Element through Edelweiss, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

[Jennifer Huberdeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of "Top Chef" may recall Joe Sasto as the season 15 finalist who was passionate about all things pasta.

But mostly, they remember him for his incredible mustache.

I'm joking. He does have a fantastic mustache, but I became enamored with Sasto because of his passion for food and family and his belief that recipes are starting points and kitchen rules are meant to be broken. When he wasn't talking about his late mother, Claudette, and how she instilled in him a great love for food and family, he was busy showing us how to use every part of a particular food item. (He's very cognizant about food waste.)
In between appearing on "Top Chef: Colorado" (he finished third on the 2017 show) and "Top Chef: All-Stars L.A." (which kept many of us sane during the pandemic lockdown), Sasto stepped away from his role at the Michelin-starred kitchens of Lazy Bear and Quince in San Francisco to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant. That pursuit had him touring the country, hosting private dinners, teaching pasta classes and appearing as a contestant and guest judge on multiple Food Network programs. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sasto, like so many of us, was forced to pivot. He began teaching virtual pasta classes, cultivating his social media profile and developing recipes. He's since developed a high-end pasta and pizza tool line, created Tantos, a puffed pasta chip which launched summer 2024, and co-founded Ripi Foods, a gourmet frozen pasta company, his website says is "soon to be available nationwide."

He's also just released his first cookbook, "Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics," now available from Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. In it, you'll find just what you expect: stories of how his mother influenced his culinary journey; pasta; recipes that use leftover portions of other recipes and eliminate food waste and Sasto's signature style of "breaking the rules."

Read the rest of my review: https://www.berkshireeagle.com/arts_a...

[Jessica Hicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joe Sasto got his love for cooking from his mom. He has so many fond memories of her food and the fun ways she served it- like on the floor in the living room for a movie picnic. He later refined his craft in restaurant kitchens and a handful of you told me you loved him on Top Chef. I was unimpressed with this cookbook though. My guess is this guy is a great cook and he made a bunch of delicious food for the photos in and then wrote down what he thought he’d done without having the recipes thoroughly tested. My food mostly didn’t turn out, but I still thank you for the gifted copy, Simon Element.
⛓️‍💥
Here’s what I made:
🍪 Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies- these were pretty good. Soft with gooey milk and dark chocolate chunks and maldon salt.
🍠 Sweet Potato Wedges and Lemony Ranch- the potato wedges were fine but the ranch was really good! Easy to make and flavorful.
🍅 Baked Burrata- the tomato sauce I made following these directions was super watery. I dipped a piece of bread in it and it was no good so I put it over pasta instead.
🥯 Whipped Cauliflower and Everything Bagel Pasta- I think the problem here was calling for a “small head of cauliflower,” which is too vague. My cauliflower puree was too thick(?) and you’re supposed to add it to pasta then toss with pasta water till it’s a smooth sauce. But as I added more and more water, my noodles were breaking down and I ended up with bland cauliflower mush. Awful.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked his family stories and the photos and found a few recipes I want to try. I really appreciated the flexibility of his approach to cooking. My favorite quote - “I firmly believe that a recipe should only act as a road map. At the end of the day, you are still the one driving the car."

[Kristen Barenthaler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Joe Sasto & I love pasta, so this book was basically always going to be a win for me. I will now be cooking everything in here for the next few months.

[Melinda Keen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. Has beautiful food and delicious food in it!!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are seven bookmarks in “I am going to make this” pages.

If there were bookmarks in pages for food I wish someone would make for me, there would be at least 20 more.