Following the extraordinary success of Italy's cooking bible, The Silver Spoon, Phaidon Press brings us a lush and generous collection of what may arguably be the world's favorite food - pasta. Quick, economical, versatile, healthy, and always sumptuous, pasta satisfies all our needs, and in the book's pages you will find recipes for the infinite varieties of pasta, literally A to Z - agnolotti to zite. Some are familiar to pasta lovers, but many of the pasta shapes and forms will be discoveries to all but the diehard and dedicated. The recipes range from the classic to yet undiscovered pasta recipes gleaned from every region of Italy, each so delicious that we wonder why we don't already know them.
True to The Silver Spoon's philosophy of presentation, and true to the credo of all Italian cooking that great food should be start with quality ingredients, but be quick to prepare, the recipes will be taken to heart by anyone from the most discriminating gourmet to the most harried cook wondering how to get a meal on the table in a hurry. Many use a minimum of ingredients to reach the heights.
The book is organized, first by the two major types of pasta of dried and fresh. Each of the two types is then further subdivided for ease of use. The dried pasta section breaks down into two main divisions, long pasta and short pasta. Under dried pastas, there are recipes for angel hair and vermicelli (long) or shells and elbow macaroni (short) to the lesser known reginette (long) or mezze maniche (short).
The section for fresh pasta is also subdivided into two sections, the first for cut pasta recipes such as those for the popular fettuccine and the less known trofie, while the second section covers filled pasta recipes from agnolotti to tortellini with delicious ravioli and lasagna, the less famous caramelle.
Not only does pasta satisfy our gourmet tastes, but it is also known for its health benefits. Try a Spaghetti with Shrimp and Globe Artichokes for a vitamin-rich meal on its own. On another day, try Bow Ties with Ricotta for a calcium rich meal, or Elbow Macaroni with Pumpkin and Radicchio (radicchio is used extensively in the Veneto area of cooking - see our article on Venice and the Veneto). For a luxurious dish, try Stracci with Lobster. Stracci means rags and the irony of combining rags and lobster will add the great health benefit of laughter to the dinner table. Popular tagliatelle can be made in a variety of ways, and you can have your pick of meat, fish or vegetables adornments either to suit your mood. Of the 23 recipes for tagliatelle alone, you'll find this classic noodle combined with salmon, with spinach, with mozzarella, with eggplant, with zucchini, with mushrooms, with asparagus: the list goes on and on. Pasta dazzles with its versatility.
There are enticing recipes throughout with instructions for making your own pasta should you choose to really have fun in the kitchen. The book is filled with photographs, and has bookmarks so you may mark your favorites as you discover them.
©
