The Italian Family Kitchen (Eva Santaguida, Harper Alexander)

Spoiler alert: this book will make you want to cook and eat Italian food and you will be unable to resist the urge to try the recipes.

This beautifully illustrated book is sharing Italian recipes in their original way, the way they were transmitted from generation to generation. It contains all the real classics that we all have heard of and many more dishes that are all mouthwatering.

The book starts with some good basics about the Italian menu and eating traditions, basic techniques (how to make fresh egg pasta, semolina pasta, how to use a pasta machine, how to cook pasta etc) and of course the pantry because Italian food requires very specific ingredients, often very simple but the quality is of utmost importance. The authors are very pragmatic though and they share notes in the recipes that tell you what to do if you cannot find a particular ingredient.

And then, the authors have been very generous and shared so many recipes. A few fritti (fried appetisers), bread, ragu, and and many pasta, rice, main dishes (second and contorno) as well as some lovely desserts.

I did not know Pasta Grammar but I love the idea and the enthusiasm of Eva and Harper. This book is the ideal companion to following the authors on social media. And it is a very good starting point for anyone who wishes to cook great traditional Italian food. I really loved it.

You can enjoy the recipes on the Pasta Grammar website and on their Youtube channel.

Buon appetito!