Lidia's Italy

by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, Tanya Bastianich Manuali, David Nussbaum (Editor)

In this exciting new book the incomparable Lidia takes us on a gastronomic journey—from Piemonte to Puglia—exploring ten different regions that have informed her cooking and helped to make her the fabulous cook that she is today. In addition, her daughter Tanya, an art historian, guides us to some of the nearby cultural treasures that enrich the pursuit of good food.

· In Istria, now part of Croatia, where Lidia grew up, she forages again for wild asparagus, using it in a delicious soup and a frittata; Sauerkraut with Pork and Roast Goose with Mlinzi reflect the region’s Middle European influences; and buzara, an old mariner’s stew, draws on fish from the nearby sea.

· From Trieste, Lidia gives seafood from the Adriatic, Viennese-style breaded veal cutlets and Beef Goulash, and Sacher Torte and Apple Strudel.

· From Friuli, where cows graze on the rich tableland, comes Montasio cheese to make fricos; the corn fields yield polenta for Velvety Cornmeal-Spinach Soup.

· In Padova and Treviso rice reigns supreme, and Lidia discovers hearty soups and risottos that highlight local flavors.

· In Piemonte, the robust Barolo wine distinguishes a fork-tender stufato of beef; local white truffles with scrambled eggs is “heaven on a plate”; and a bagna cauda serves as a dip for local vegetables, including prized cardoons.

· In Maremma, where hunting and foraging are a way of life, earthy foods are mainstays, such as slow-cooked rabbit sauce for pasta or gnocchi and boar tenderloin with prune-apple Sauce, with Galloping Figs for dessert.

· In Rome Lidia revels in the fresh artichokes and fennel she finds in the Campo dei Fiori and brings back nine different ways of preparing them.

· In Naples she gathers unusual seafood recipes and a special way of making limoncello-soaked cakes.

· From Sicily’s Palermo she brings back panelle, the delicious fried chickpea snack; a caponata of stewed summer vegetables; and the elegant Cannoli Napoleon.

· In Puglia, at Italy’s heel, where durum wheat grows at its best, she makes some of the region’s glorious pasta dishes and re-creates a splendid focaccia from Altamura.

There are 140 delectable recipes to be found as you make this journey with Lidia. And along the way, with Tanya to guide you, you’ll stop to admire Raphael’s fresco Triumph of Galatea, a short walk from the market in Rome; the two enchanting women in the Palazzo Abbatellis in Palermo; and the Roman ruins in Friuli, among many other delights. There’s something for everyone in this rich and satisfying book that will open up new horizons even to the most seasoned lover of Italy.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Italy, Italian Literature, Travel

364 pages, Hardcover

First published April 10, 2007

About the author

Lidia Matticchio Bastianich is an American chef, businesswoman and restaurateur.

Specializing in Italian and Croatian cuisine, she has been a regular contributor to the PBS cooking show lineup since 1998. In 2007, she launched her third TV series, Lidia's Italy. She also owns four Italian restaurants in the U.S. in partnership with her son, the winemaster and restaurateur, Joseph Bastianich: Felidia (founded with her ex-husband, Felice) and Becco in Manhattan; Lidia's Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Lidia's Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri.

Reviews

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Lidia, but this book was a bit of letdown for me. It didn't feature enough of her popular recipes that I was hoping to find.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chef Lidia Bastianich shares some recipes and personal stories from ten regions of Italy. Her daughter then relates cultural aspects of these regions.

I enjoyed knowing more about the mother, daughter duo through their stories, and have some good ideas of places to visit and what to eat in these regions of Italy. The recipes look simple enough for a home cook to replicate, and the pictures of the food are a feast for the eyes.

[Glennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the way she's broken the recipes into regions. It makes it easier to study and cook a particular region of Italy...which is as varied as France and America!

[Lori Pollitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love reading cook books and this one doesn't disappoint! Great recipes and even better tales about the food and where it originated!!

[Mike T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every recipe was fantastic. It was just missing the visual element.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's nothing ground breaking here, at least reading it 11 years after it's publication, but this is actually a feature. She teaches traditional, real Italian cooking. I want to eat just about everything in this book. Good ingredients with mostly simple preparations that will transport you to the different parts of Italy that she highlights.

[Gayle Pritchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It’s a combination real deal Italian cookbook by region and travelogue with rare gems, again, by region. Lidia has a fantastic personal story, and her writer’s voice, like her tv persona, is fun, encouraging and authentic,

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so want to love this book. I really want to cook out of it, and go "yum!" like the rest of the reviews that have been written. I can't. My big gripe with the book is the way it it organized. I like to have all of my meats, sides, and desserts in their own separate sections. This is a personal thing, but I don't like regional layouts. Next, the ingredients are often unavailable in my area, or very expensive in my area. I'm landlocked, so I don't have easy access to fresh fish at any time of the year. Artichokes are seasonal here, and often times quite expensive. So I'll be saving those recipes back when it is a very special meal. Finally, when you have a section dedicated to speciality stores in New York City where one can get the finest ingredients, then internet sources for the rest of us around the country, it ticks me off. Like above, I really, really want to love Lidia's book, but just can't. I returned this to the library before investing anything in the recipes.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lidia Matticchio Bastianich is an Italian icon. Her cookbook is filled with authentic recipes that are not for the first timer. I would have liked more pictures of the food. The more photos, the better to inspire the at-home cook to try them out. If you're looking for advanced Italian recipes than this is the book for you.

[todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Organized by region, so a bit harder to select just the right entree or dessert than Lidia's Family Table. The recipes are every bit as enjoyable. Another winner, though I liked the family pictures in the first book more than the travelogue shots here.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made the beef goulash recipe from this book, and it was excellent. I didn't care to make any of the other recipes, which is why it only got 3 stars.

[Lori]

I have marked plenty of recipies to try out... first up: homemade gnocchi and sandy cake. YUM!

[Linda Seltenright]

I love cook books and I love to cook...thank you Lori, I'll let you know what I cooked and how it came out.

[Burley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and the recipes are an absolute masterpiece. I love Italian food and this and Marcella Hazen's book are the only ones you need.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yum. This is the cookbook I've been cooking out of most, recently.

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lidia needs to include more pictures of the food and less pictures of the locations. To me, a cookbook is nothing without pictures--no matter how good the recipes are.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book needs to go on my kitchen shelf. Sort of a mix between a travel book and a cookbook - glowing descriptions and wonderful food.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really amazing cook book! I still have so many recipes I want to try

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's so much more than just recipes in Lidia's books. In this book I've been learning all about the different regions of Italy while learning to cook their food. It's great!!

[Anne Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go-to book.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this cookbook, there are recipes I look forward to making.

[Carl Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

recipes work as well as always.

[Lucylu57 · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite Italian cookbooks and one of my favorite of Lidia's books. If you like Italian, check this out.

[Chrissy]

i loved reading and cooking this book! It gave me a different perspective on Italian cooking and it's relationship to Eastern European cooking. I appreciated the way it was arranged by region and she shared the experience of the region in each chapter.