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Autentico: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way
Autentico is an introduction to the true flavors of Italy. From the bright notes of fresh olive oil to the hearty warmth of slow-cooked ragú, Rolando Beramendi, importer and connoisseur of the finest ingredients from Italy, has crafted a perfect guide to authentic Italian food.
Unlike many Italian cookbooks, Autentico goes far beyond pasta. In a world where culinary shortcuts, adulteration, misleading labeling, and mass production of seemingly “authentic” food rule, culinary archaeologist, innovator and cooking teacher Rolando Beramendi has kept centuries-old culinary traditions alive. That’s authentic!
In Autentico, Rolando details how to make classic dishes from Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe to Risotto in Bianco and Gran Bollito Misto as they are meant to be – not the versions that somehow became muddled as they made their way across the globe. Among the 120 recipes, you’ll find Baked Zucchini Blossoms filled with sheep's milk ricotta; Roast Pork Belly with Wild Fennel; Savoy Cabbage Rolls made with farro and melted fontina; Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe; Risotto with Radicchio; and a Lamb Stew with ancient Spice Route flavors that have roots from the times of Marco Polo and could have been served to the de’ Medici during the Renaissance. And of course, there are dolci (desserts): Summer Fruit Caponata, Meringata with Bitter Chocolate Sauce, and a simple, moist, and succulent Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cake. Colored by the choicest ingredients from the shores of Italy and beyond, the pages of Autentico offer a rich taste of the Italy’s history, brought to life in the modern kitchen.
Unlike many Italian cookbooks, Autentico goes far beyond pasta. In a world where culinary shortcuts, adulteration, misleading labeling, and mass production of seemingly “authentic” food rule, culinary archaeologist, innovator and cooking teacher Rolando Beramendi has kept centuries-old culinary traditions alive. That’s authentic!
In Autentico, Rolando details how to make classic dishes from Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe to Risotto in Bianco and Gran Bollito Misto as they are meant to be – not the versions that somehow became muddled as they made their way across the globe. Among the 120 recipes, you’ll find Baked Zucchini Blossoms filled with sheep's milk ricotta; Roast Pork Belly with Wild Fennel; Savoy Cabbage Rolls made with farro and melted fontina; Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe; Risotto with Radicchio; and a Lamb Stew with ancient Spice Route flavors that have roots from the times of Marco Polo and could have been served to the de’ Medici during the Renaissance. And of course, there are dolci (desserts): Summer Fruit Caponata, Meringata with Bitter Chocolate Sauce, and a simple, moist, and succulent Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cake. Colored by the choicest ingredients from the shores of Italy and beyond, the pages of Autentico offer a rich taste of the Italy’s history, brought to life in the modern kitchen.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 24, 2017
70 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Rolando Beramendi
1 book8 followersROLANDO BERAMENDI is the founder of the Italian fine food importer Manicaretti and a frequent winner of Specialty Food Show awards. Truly a “chef’s chef,” his products, cooking classes, and culinary expertise have been praised by luminaries such as Ina Garten, Alice Waters, Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, Nancy Silverton, and many more. He splits his time between New York, San Francisco, and his home in Florence. AUTENTICO is Rolando's first cookbook.
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September 30, 2017“Authentic” does indeed define this first cookbook from a longtime importer of Italian fine foods to the U.S. Even better, Beramendi is generous with credits, clear about his preference for simplicity (for instance, avoiding overcrowded plates and recipes with too many disparate ingredients), and forthright about his likes and dislikes. Expect great information about the basics, from deciphering important labels like DOP and IGP, to explicit instructions for the selection, use, and care of anchovies, capers, garlic, and
other ingredients. His dislikes, by the way, are boldly apparent. “Disclaimer: I don’t like turkey. While we’re at it, I don’t like chicken, either.” Borrowing and occasionally personalizing many of the 120 recipes from his Italian chef-friends, Beramendi ensures through his well-presented instructions that the pasta will be al dente, the right wines will accompany, and the ultimate result will more than please. Recipes represent both familiar dishes and twists on traditional ones―caponata and risotto, swordfish torte and pizza without a crust―and are accompanied by good photographs and, when necessary, a few step-by-step visuals. In between are narrative snapshots of Beramendi’s culinary heroes and his considerable knowledge, including a short dissertation on farro. Autentico―and magnifico.
―Booklist Magazine
other ingredients. His dislikes, by the way, are boldly apparent. “Disclaimer: I don’t like turkey. While we’re at it, I don’t like chicken, either.” Borrowing and occasionally personalizing many of the 120 recipes from his Italian chef-friends, Beramendi ensures through his well-presented instructions that the pasta will be al dente, the right wines will accompany, and the ultimate result will more than please. Recipes represent both familiar dishes and twists on traditional ones―caponata and risotto, swordfish torte and pizza without a crust―and are accompanied by good photographs and, when necessary, a few step-by-step visuals. In between are narrative snapshots of Beramendi’s culinary heroes and his considerable knowledge, including a short dissertation on farro. Autentico―and magnifico.
―Booklist Magazine
April 13, 2018
This takes food snobbery to a whole new level, and that's really good.
While each recipe is a celebration of some local authentic flavor with a fancy Italian name to match; they are all fairly minimalist and straightforward, requiring basic kitchenware and ingredients and yielding actual food. Too often cookbooks like this would try and be fancy have you cook useless pretty looking things. That still happens here, but not nearly as much.
I actually pulled off cooking one of the lamb recipes successfully.
Pros: minimalistic, excellent flavors, practical.
Cons: relies on a lot of imported ingredients.
I now know what my perfect cookbook would be. A version of this celebrating the food and flavors that grow in my bio-region. I'm not sure if that exists yet.
While each recipe is a celebration of some local authentic flavor with a fancy Italian name to match; they are all fairly minimalist and straightforward, requiring basic kitchenware and ingredients and yielding actual food. Too often cookbooks like this would try and be fancy have you cook useless pretty looking things. That still happens here, but not nearly as much.
I actually pulled off cooking one of the lamb recipes successfully.
Pros: minimalistic, excellent flavors, practical.
Cons: relies on a lot of imported ingredients.
I now know what my perfect cookbook would be. A version of this celebrating the food and flavors that grow in my bio-region. I'm not sure if that exists yet.
December 14, 2017
This is the first book by Rolando Beramendi who has been spending half his time in Italy for the last 20 years. Rolando is a food importer and his style of cooking is based on the best ingredients possible. The recipes are rigorously authentic - yet his detailed instructions makes them easy to replicate. He also provides lots of interesting background, not only about the recipes but the people he learned from over the years.
September 5, 2018
The book is gorgeous. Beautiful photos. The author/chef is encouraging to both culinary and life achievements. It's a pleasure to cook from this book however some of the recipes take a bit of preplanning. Others quite fun & easy. Recommend!
June 9, 2019
Authentic Italian cooking--this is right up my alley!! My favorite cuisine packaged in a quality book with gorgeous photographs! It is classic Italian as in a few quality ingredients prepared well. I love the basic brodo recipes, pestos, etc. The soffrito, in my humble opinion, uses way too much olive oil. We made the Tuscan Ragu which uses the soffrito. I kept looking at the recipe for the soffrito and finally decided to cut the oil in half. Honestly, we could have cut it down to 1/4 and it would probably have been perfect. While it was a little oily from too much oil in the soffrito, the flavor of the ragu was out of this world!! It was a huge hit in our family. Let's just say there weren't leftovers!
The beginning of this book is fascinating with information, history, tips and more. I love the "Pantry" section! It then moves on to "Ready to Use" which is where you find the recipes for those basic items you would use a lot such as broths, pestos and more. NOW you get to the bones of the book--the recipes!
If you like simple, well cooked food, this is a great cookbook. The reason I dropped it to one star is the heavy over use of oil in the soffrito, and the fact that there are several hard to find ingredients called for. Otherwise, this is a great cookbook.
I received a copy of this cookbook from St. Martin's Griffin for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The beginning of this book is fascinating with information, history, tips and more. I love the "Pantry" section! It then moves on to "Ready to Use" which is where you find the recipes for those basic items you would use a lot such as broths, pestos and more. NOW you get to the bones of the book--the recipes!
If you like simple, well cooked food, this is a great cookbook. The reason I dropped it to one star is the heavy over use of oil in the soffrito, and the fact that there are several hard to find ingredients called for. Otherwise, this is a great cookbook.
I received a copy of this cookbook from St. Martin's Griffin for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 8, 2018
I think I had higher expectations or wanted to find more about Italian cuisine that I didn't know already, maybe I just didn't pick the right book, but this is a very basic take, including a lot of recipes that are widely known. The book opening explaining the differences in olive oil was super interesting, the recipes in general are kind of italian cuisine 101, they're interesting but it doesn't seem to be very different from all the other ones around.
February 3, 2018
Wide variety of recipes -- flavorful but not complicated.
February 7, 2018
A beautiful cookbook full of flavorful recipes.
May 6, 2018
I’m long overdue for a trip to Italy....this is an awesome cookbook - the food looks delicious and comforting, and all of the locals look so content.
January 11, 2019
he author, Beramendi, an Italian citizen, is the long time owner of an Italian products shop is SF, Manicaretti, and the recipes are his own (recipe names are often tagged with ‘my way’).The emphasis is on seasonal, simple and nourishing Italian food. And most recipes are simple with less than ten ingredients. Shortcuts are not offered, but the dishes, in general, are not complicated. It’s not surprising that he emphasizes the quality of pantry ingredients and suggests looking for those with the DOP (protected designation of origin) or IGP (protected geographical identification) labels. Extensive information about how to identify good quality Italian ingredients.
Author suggest keeping on hand a variety of basics like pesto and roasted peppers. But most of these don’t last long, and this seems like it could be very wasteful if you don’t already have plans to use it. Perhaps the audience for this book is people who cook Italian food every day? Author does provide serving and freezing suggestions for some foods. Some recipes are presented in paragraphs which makes it difficult to see ingredients or steps. Others separate out ingredients and steps. Some recipes use their Italian name and do not translate to English. Wine suggestions are often offered.
Some of the recipes seem questionable especially for the beginning cook. For example, the roasted veg recipe doesn’t indicate any particular type of vegetable, how large to cut them or what one does given that different vegetables take different times to cook.
Recipes are not the usual American/Italian, but recipes that seem to reflect Italian home cooking. One recipe that stands out is the Rice custards wrapped in chard leaves. Not sure how authentic the recipe is, but it looks very interesting (even this recipe has only ten ingredients). Desserts emphasize simplicity and fruit.
I have a lot of Italian cookbooks, but this one would add to my collection. The Author includes lots of personal pictures and pictures of food in its natural and cooked state. The food pictures are gorgeous
Author suggest keeping on hand a variety of basics like pesto and roasted peppers. But most of these don’t last long, and this seems like it could be very wasteful if you don’t already have plans to use it. Perhaps the audience for this book is people who cook Italian food every day? Author does provide serving and freezing suggestions for some foods. Some recipes are presented in paragraphs which makes it difficult to see ingredients or steps. Others separate out ingredients and steps. Some recipes use their Italian name and do not translate to English. Wine suggestions are often offered.
Some of the recipes seem questionable especially for the beginning cook. For example, the roasted veg recipe doesn’t indicate any particular type of vegetable, how large to cut them or what one does given that different vegetables take different times to cook.
Recipes are not the usual American/Italian, but recipes that seem to reflect Italian home cooking. One recipe that stands out is the Rice custards wrapped in chard leaves. Not sure how authentic the recipe is, but it looks very interesting (even this recipe has only ten ingredients). Desserts emphasize simplicity and fruit.
I have a lot of Italian cookbooks, but this one would add to my collection. The Author includes lots of personal pictures and pictures of food in its natural and cooked state. The food pictures are gorgeous
March 19, 2021
Rolando Beramendi has an unrivaled passion for the Italian foods he sells...With unbridled and infectious joy, Rolando speaks of their history, explains how to use them, even how to eat them. I truly believe that if it weren’t for Rolando, the Italian food products available in America would not nearly be at the high level of quality they are now. Cooks and diners alike in America owe Rolando a debt of gratitude.
Nancy Silverton
Rolando has an amazing eye (as well as a nose and a palate) for the very best in food and drink, and he is as apt to find it in a peasant farmhouse in Tuscany as he is in an aristocratic palazzo in the Veneto.
Nancy Harmon Jenkins
“Rolando arrives at my house like a gust of spring, laden with new ideas, recipes and flavors. Bolstering his enthusiasm is a profound knowledge of Italian food, based on experience in the kitchen as well as at the table of Italy's greatest cooks. The idea that all of this will be encapsulated in a book that I can consult at will is very exciting.
Mary Taylor Simeti
Nancy Silverton
Rolando has an amazing eye (as well as a nose and a palate) for the very best in food and drink, and he is as apt to find it in a peasant farmhouse in Tuscany as he is in an aristocratic palazzo in the Veneto.
Nancy Harmon Jenkins
“Rolando arrives at my house like a gust of spring, laden with new ideas, recipes and flavors. Bolstering his enthusiasm is a profound knowledge of Italian food, based on experience in the kitchen as well as at the table of Italy's greatest cooks. The idea that all of this will be encapsulated in a book that I can consult at will is very exciting.
Mary Taylor Simeti
December 12, 2024
I found this book interesting with lovely pictures but hard to read because it doesn't want to stay open without effort from both hands. To me this was a major downer. There are a mix of classic more well known recipes and recipes made less often. I too question some of the techniques used. For example baking zucchini flowers seems like a good idea but i am not convinced they wouldn't be dry or putting a half cup of oil in the pan to fry- yikes! that's a lot. I love that finally after all these years an italian has bragged about cooking with all of the pig and not bragged about how rich they are like the asians are famous for doing. But that is the essence of real, italian cooking. It's down to earth and honest and just plain more likeable.
June 19, 2021
After reading this I felt only Italians get to eat the "REAL DEAL OF ITALIAN FOOD" Rest of the world gets nothing: lol. And I have never read such detailed description about Olive oils;still the real stuff is there unless you have extra money to pay for that best Olive oil. But this book gave me second thoughts on how to choose great quality Italian food:we have a ever expanding aisles for Italian food over in the US.
January 17, 2023
Loved his section on EVOO 🥰
August 13, 2024
It may be authentic but the principles the author uses are a bit impractical.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews