We would all love to uproot our lives and make the permanent move to Italy, right? Traveling from little town to town, tasting and trying all the beautiful and delicious regional cuisines, maybe even picking up on a few of the techniques as we go? Imagine the flavors, the aromas, the sights!
But unfortunately, most of us have jobs and responsibilities that are keeping us from that Under the TuscanSun life, but we do have a backup that comes in a close second to traveling right to the source—cooking from classic cookbooks. We have gathered a list of the 10 essential cookbooks you have to buy if you want to travel through food and learn about Italian cuisine. No plane ticket or packed suitcase required! Just a few ingredients, a willingness to learn, and a hungry crowd to feed.
Like many places, this country has so many different regional dishes, ingredients, and techniques, which make the cuisine so diverse. Some dishes you are likely super familiar with, like risotto, ravioli, and eggplant parm, but there's plenty more you may have never heard of or tried. Turn to the experts—like Marcella Hazan, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, Elizabeth David, and more—to take a deep dive into these regional eats. Or focus on one aspect, like pasta or pizza, and become a genius at making those dishes. Either way, we've got a cookbook to get you started in the kitchen. Is your stomach rumbling yet? Because mine is. So let's get cooking. Oh, and buon appetito!
If you are looking to start with the basics, you go to the queen herself, Marcella Hazan. She explains how to master all the Italian techniques and flavors with super helpful illustrations, so even the most expert of chefs can find something to learn. This cookbook combines two of her previous works, The Classic Italian Cook Book and More Classic Italian Cooking, so you know it's full of the best recipes.
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Phaidon Press The Silver Spoon (Traditional Italian Home Cooking Recipes)
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Phaidon Press The Silver Spoon (Traditional Italian Home Cooking Recipes)
An oldie, but a goodie, this classic was first published back in the 1950s, in Italian. With 2,000 recipes inside (and the latest edition adding another 400 dishes), it's recognized as the bible of Italian cooking. You could say it's pretty comprehensive! Plus, you'll learn how to compose an Italian meal, the foods from the many regions within the country, how to set an Italian table, and so much more.
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Ten Speed Press Pasta: The Spirit and Craft of Italy's Greatest Food, with Recipes
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Ten Speed Press Pasta: The Spirit and Craft of Italy's Greatest Food, with Recipes
Want to dive into the basics of making pasta? Then turn to Pasta, of course. It comes from Missy Robbins, one of the premiere pasta chefs in New York City. She takes readers through the magic of mixing flour, water, and/or eggs together, then how to make 40+ shapes out of said magic.
If you want to talk about breaking down the basics of cooking, then Ken Forkish is the expert you need. His first book Flour Water Salt Yeast won a James Beard award for its expertise in baking—and the base of pizza has the same ingredients, so we know we can trust him. This pizza cookbook breaks down every step of the process, from dough-making to shaping to cheese selection to toppings, so you can be sure that the pizza you make is so much better than delivery.
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Hardie Grant Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook
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Hardie Grant Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook
When it comes to really good at-home cooking, we know grannies just do it best. They have that secret talent (life experience) for knowing exactly how much of that spice to add or how much longer a pot should sit on the stove for before it's ready. Not only does this book cover all that, but it also shares traditions and skills that could've been lost with time. If you want a sneak peak as to what could be inside, check out the YouTube channel of the same name.
The title may be simple, but the impact this humble cookbook had on the world was big. When it was released in 1954, English writer Elizabeth David's book showed the incredible range of regional cooking within Italy, beyond the spaghetti and minestrone her home country was familiar with. Cracking into this book, you'll learn about the complex traditions of Tuscany, Sicily, Lombardy, Umbria, and so many more regions.
In the mid 20th century, a group of Italian scholars gathered to brainstorm a way to preserve Italian techniques and recipes. Their solution was the Italian Academy of Cuisine, and this cookbook documents classic recipes from every region in Italy. These recipes come from home cooks, farmers, and grandmothers who had never been published before. Each recipes walks you through the ingredients you need, and the technique to learn for that specific region. Go ahead, step into Italian history!
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Ten Speed Press Mastering Pasta: The Art and Practice of Handmade Pasta, Gnocchi, and Risotto [A Cookbook]
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Ten Speed Press Mastering Pasta: The Art and Practice of Handmade Pasta, Gnocchi, and Risotto [A Cookbook]
If you want to dive deeply into this one (wildly important) aspect of Italian cuisine, Marc Vetri is the one to take you there. He spent 10 years researching pasta while writing this book, and you'll learn about gnocchi, risotto, stuffed pasta, sauce suggestions, different shapes, and so much more.
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Clarkson Potter The Tuscan Sun Cookbook: Recipes from Our Italian Kitchen
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Clarkson Potter The Tuscan Sun Cookbook: Recipes from Our Italian Kitchen
You know the movie Under The Tuscan Sun? Of course you do. I don't even know why I'm asking. This cookbook comes from the author of the memoir that inspired the film, so think super rustic and countryside-inspired Italian recipes written by a woman who is living all of our dreams.
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Knopf Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook: A Cookbook
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Knopf Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook: A Cookbook
If you know anything about Italian cooking, then you definitely know Lidia Bastianich Manuali. And if you don't, then you need to buy this book. Inside, Lidia takes you through more than 400 different recipes to allow you to gain a comprehensive understanding of Italian cooking. It's deeper than the dishes too, with instructions on how to buy, store, clean, and cook the best ingredients.
Felicia LaLomia is the Food & Culture Editor for Delish. When she isn’t covering food news or writing features about delicious trends in the culinary world, she’s searching for her next perfect bite.