Italian American: Red Sauce Classics and New Essentials: A Cookbook

by Angie Rito, Scott Tacinelli

IACP AWARD FINALIST • Reimagine Italian-American cooking, with more than 125 recipes rich with flavor and nostalgia from the celebrated husband-and-wife chef team of Michelin-starred Don Angie in New York City.“Every bit of warmth and hospitality that you feel when you walk into Don Angie pours out of every page of this magical book.”—Michael SymonONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE New York Post, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Food52, Epicurious, Taste of Home The words “red sauce” alone conjure images of an Italian-American table full of antipasti, both hot and cold, whisked off to make room for decadent baked pastas topped with molten cheese, all before a procession of chicken parm or pork chops all pizzaiola—and we haven’t even gotten to dessert. It’s old-school cooking beloved by many and imbued with a deep sense of family.In Italian American, Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, the chefs of critically acclaimed Don Angie in New York City’s West Village, reinvigorate the genre with a modern point of view that proudly straddles the line between Italian and American. They present family classics passed down through generations side-by-side with creative spins and riffs inspired by influences both old and new. These comforting dishes feel familiar but are far from expected, including their signature pinwheel lasagna, ribs glazed with orange and Campari, saucy shrimp parm meatballs, and a cheesy, bubbling gratin of broccoli rabe and sharp provolone.Full of family history and recipes that will inspire a new generation, Italian American provides an essential, spirited introduction to an unforgettable way of cooking.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Italian Literature, Foodie

702 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2021

Reviews

[Reading Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors of this cookbook are the husband-and-wife team of the New York Michelin-starred restaurant Don Angie. Since I'll never make it to that restaurant, this a a great substitute: to prepare these creative recipes, some classic, some modern. Lots of comfort food here, like Cacio e Pepe Pastina, Layered Eggplant Parm, and Classic Meatballs. These three recipes are ones I have tried thus far, and they were all amazing and welcomed by my family. I look forward to trying recipes from the Dessert chapter. (Ginger and Lemon Ricotta Cookies, anyone?!) The photographs are fabulous, especially the ones that show how to perform specific techniques. This is a great gift to give any home cook.

I've received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few challenging recipes, but I enjoyed the family histories behind them and was inspired to make a few, with success! I loved the pasta Gemma. This book has been circulating around the library so I will pick it up again to try out more when it's returned.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful cookbook filled with family stories, family recipes and mouth-watering pictures. The layered eggplant parm recipe was one of the best I have ever made, a big hit with all of my family members. I never knew there were so many different types of meatballs and this cookbook contains 10 different recipes with the Veal Picccata Meatballs being my favorite so far. I can't wait to try them all. I am married to an Italian and he has loved all of the recipes I have tried so far. This cookbook is definitely recommended for those who like to cook Italian American and would make a wonderful gift for the holidays.

I received a free copy from Clarkson Potter.

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dynamic duo taking Italian Food beyond comfort zone !

When I got my hands on Italian American I knew it's going to take place in my bookshelf and also my heart. I’ve known about Don Angie through the media,but never knew they would launch a book as beautiful as this ! It's a comfort food heaven !! Like many Italians they hold family ties through food and the family history is so beautiful to read.

The book spans from cold antipasti(Shrimp cocktail alla puttanesca to pepperoni & fontina crackers) and hot antipasti(Sicilian pizza rolls;oh sounds so delicious:step by step photos are incredible to look at.Spicy baked clams look so amazing!). Then the next chapters pave the way to salads. Spicy crab panzanella looks like a festivity of its own ! Italian sauces are the arsenal of their hearty pasta dishes. This book’s sauces chapter is second to none ! Smoky chicken ragu with Mezcal,chiles and olives looks like a great one tray bake.

Next rolls the pasta chapter loaded with recipes like cacio e pepe pastina,beautiful Southern style eggless pasta, and polenta gnocchi. Lasagna and baked pasta chapter is definitely party ready ! Show stopper is Don Angie pinwheel pasta(cover picture). Sausage stuffed rigatoni is a feat of its own ! Next is my favorite chapter:Meatballs ! So many delicious and juicy meatballs to choose from ! Main dishes like eggplant parm,chicken parm,and the magnificent Easter pie comes in the following pages.

Vegetables are standing up to their glorious self and dishes like Sicilian style roasted cauliflower mushrooms in gorgonzola cream sauce look divine. Desserts sections roll out with beautiful pictures of cannolis and they look like gem studded gold batons. Ginger lemon ricotta cookies look like they are al2ays ready for Christmas. Cannoli recipes are packed with step by step photographs. They have given the classic Italian Tiramisu an exuberant facelift by switching it to Vietnamese style ! I cannot pick a favorite from the drinks section and I want to try them all one day in the cafe itself !

Last chapter;the basics are this and that and what nots about little stuff; like making Italian bread crumbs, chicken stock,oven dried tomatoes,lemon aioli.

This book is like the USA. It gives everything traditional ,a beautiful magnificent look while tasting better than what it used to be before.


I’ve received a free copy from Ten Speed in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
Thank you.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Italian American offers a wide array of options for the home cook interested in elevating their game from lackluster spaghetti to something new and delicious.

Tacinelli and Rito manage to give an impressive list of stellar recipes while simultaneously giving the reader a peek into their childhoods and marriage. The lack of pretension combined with the genius of these recipes is an amazing aspect of this cookbook. This combined with the amazing photos that accompany almost every recipe make this cookbook a rare find.

The only small criticism I have of this book is that the recipe instructions at times can be a bit too concise. This isn’t something that I’ve had major problems with but if you’re very new to cooking this might cause issues.

Of the recipes I’ve made so far every single one has been at least a 4/5. The recipes I’ve made are as follows:

*Salami and Cheese Potato Crocchette
*10 minute San Marzano Tomato Sauce
*Italian Sausage Bolognese
*Northern Style Egg Yolk Pasta
*Besciamella
*Don Angie Pinwheel Lasagne
*No Bake Spumoni Cheesecake with Cherries, Pistachios, and White Chocolate

Some recipes I’m looking forward to making are

*Spicy Fra Diavolo Sauce
*Mortadella Spiedini with Pickled Garlic Salsa Verde
*Chrysanthemum Caesar
*Roasted Cauliflower & Pine Nut Spread

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book I have been waiting for since I tasted the best lasagna in the world! I love the West Village in New York City. It is brimming with restaurants, eateries, and cafés, but few as polished and delicious as Don Angie. That the restaurant’s owners are now sharing some of their amazing recipes for all home cooks is remarkable. Thank you, Scott and Angie!
Martha Stewart

Scott and Angie have honored their Italian-American roots, Southern Italian flavors, family traditions, and experimented with new ingredients in such a beautiful way. Their ancestors redefined and created a new type of cuisine when they came to America, which is exactly what Scott and Angie are doing today.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten

[Libraryassistant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this out from the library after seeing them on a design program— the talked about their apartment, their child, and their restaurant. And they made this fabulous looking salad with hazelnuts.
I want to cook my way through the entire appetizer section! The rest is gorgeous too, and all the family pictures and bits of Italian American family culture is really fun. However most of the main courses I wish I could just go to the restaurant for, lol. More work and ingredients than I am usually up for.
Definitely recommend, still.

[David Brinkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bottom line, there’s a lot of good food in this book. I think they did a good job balancing the information between professional chefs and home cooks. Any skill level can glean something out of this book and stay interested. The photography is on point and the home photos are great as well. At first glance I caught myself shaking my head at some of the non traditional ingredients, but they are very clear about their reasoning and they appear to use them wisely. This comfort in their own skin comes through in a written cookbook.

[X · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covers a lot of Italian cuisine, but not as much of typically Italian *American* cuisine as I had hoped - especially the "classics" part from the title I found lacking.

A lot of recipes are "well you know how to make X, so here's how we personally have changed the recipe by 80%", and that is quite off-putting when I as a reader am just here trying to find a solid recipe for the basic version (that the title led me to believe would be in this book).

Apart from that, the "new essentials" are rather on the fanciful, fine dining side, and really didn't do much for me.

[Barbara Monaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is full of traditional Italian American recipes with a bit of a twist. The recipes are clear and easy to follow. The book is beautifully laid out. The descriptions are also interesting and very informative. I'll be using this cookbook all the time. I've received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Liz Ketron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been through this book, I’ve made several recipes from it over the last month or so. I will recommend it over and over. Whether you’re making dinner for yourself or making dinner for a crowd, you’ll find something in here. I bought it for the pinwheel lasagna, but so far everything is a total knockout.

[Carol Pickersgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite honestly one of the best cookbooks that I've ever read/cooked from! Every single recipe that I've made to date has been an absolute 5 star meal (Sausage Stuffed Rigatoni - just "oh my!"). I could only cook from this book the rest of my life and be quite happy -- and full!

[Dawn Nahorniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family centric stories, photos and recipes made this a fun cookbook to read. Hidden within some of the recipes are exact brands and tools used which I appreciate! Looking forward to cooking from this book.

[Margery Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

good recipes

[Tom Bierdz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a couple of good recipes that I haven't tried yet from this book. I copied them and will try them later. The book had to be returned.

[Kirk Dobihal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classics with a new twist. Can't wait to start some of these recipes esp. the pinwheel lasagna.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely looking and delicious sounding recipes with a few stories here and there...relevant to me since I know the family.

[Elinore (elinore_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have been the perfect cookbook, if each recipe had their own picture!!! So frustrating!

[Gunnarlovesreading1225 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly, chock full of great recipes.

[Ryan Juno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t want to own this. But I really appreciate how much this book takes on Italian food, and they note how the culture has changed since coming to America.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Came for the pinwheel lasagna, stayed for the family history through food. Loved it all & def wanna hit their spot in the west village someday!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pages 63, 68, 169, 175, 185, 186, 189, 263, 265