Foodie Tuesday: Authentic Italian Cuisine Even I Can Make
Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen by Mary Ann Esposito
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I used to watch television most Saturdays were filled with watching cooking shows on PBS. I’m sure they probably still come on. They’re not as sexy as Food Network’s lineup, of course, but their chefs and the food they cook and the recipes they share are just as delicious as anything seen on cable.
I remember watching Mary Ann Esposito’s show and salivating at the pasta dishes she prepared. I could almost smell the aroma of sautéing onions and leeks ooze into my own kitchen. I loved watching her show and getting a glimpse at real Italian cuisine that’s simple and traditional, not the overly processed and enriched variety we get here in the States at spaghetti houses.
Mary Ann Esposito’s latest cookbook, Ciao Italia, is everything you would expect from a chef whose specialty is delicious Italian food that hearkens back to the old country. I love that all of the recipes are doable for someone like me who has limited time in the kitchen, but authentic enough to give you real Italian cuisine.
Recipes like Scallops and Fried Tomatoes (pg. 84) and Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Roasted Vegetables (pg. 49) are terribly simple to make, but the flavors blend together beautifully making the meals well worth cooking and satisfying to your palate. I only wish there were more photos of the wonderful dishes. I love to look at the possibilities of a dish before I embark on the journey of making it.
Buy Ciao Italia for occasions when you want to feed your family a simple and classic Italian dish, but don’t want to go to a specialty store to buy never-heard-before mushrooms or gourmet cheese.
