“In this amazing book, Fabio shows you how to make delicious Italian dishes easily and quickly! It’s the next best thing to having him in your kitchen.” ―Antonia Lofaso, Chef and Restaurateur of Scopa Italian Roots, The Local Peasant, Sycamore Tavern and Black Market Liquor Bar
Dinner doesn’t have to be daunting. In half an hour or less you can cook up an Italian meal at home like a professional chef. In this case, just like Top Chef star Fabio Viviani. Infused with his warmth and humor, this book brings Fabio into your kitchen.
If Fresh Fettuccini with Manila Clams and Spicy Sausages and Chicken Pizzaiola with Mozzarella and Pepperoni seem like recipes that are out of reach, think again. Fabio shows home chefs how to cook “Grandma Style” (that is, like an intuitive Italian), and even those on a tight schedule will soon be whipping up great dinners. The over 100 no-fail recipes include Mascarpone and Ricotta-Stuffed Peaches, 15-Minute Seafood Cioppino, and Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake. Fabio’s 30 Minute Italian provides lots of time saving tips, from freezing batches of herbs and dressing to making your own pasta dough in three minutes tops.
Along the way, Fabio shares stories from his early life in Florence where he apprenticed at age five to his wheel-chair-bound and wooden-spoon-wielding great-grandmother to his American life cooking dinner for his wife and infant son in Chicago. Gorgeously illustrated throughout, and filled with his through-the-roof energy and charisma, Fabio’s 30 Minute Italian is guaranteed to make you enjoy your time in the kitchen―and the results!
The pictures in this cookbook are quite beautiful. Fabio gives great instructions, explanations and hints. My only criticism is that I think he got a little snobby with his cheeses. I wish he explained what Grano Padano cheese is - because he uses it in most of the recipes - and what can be used as a substitute. ... you know, Parmigiano-Reggiano ... or Mantasio cheese, which he did suggest Asagio as a substitute.
This book was alright but it just was not blowing my mind. Too many ingredients, too many things that seemed way to "you must be a chef for the know how" I really did not find anything in this book to make me want to fix anything. There may have been a few things that I would have eaten had someone made them for me. For me there was nothing compelling about this book.