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Best Italian Cookbooks for Beginners

Asked Aug 05, 2020 by Jennifer N.

Hi All, I've been obsessed with Pasta Grannies and would like to start focusing in on Italian cooking, aside from the Pasta Grannies Cookbook, and recommendations for a newbie?

Thanks!

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COMMENTS

  • Joseph Z.

    August 10, 2020

    Jennifer, Lynn made excellent suggestions, with those books and Milk Street you will be able to master most Italian recipes. The Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt has a section on tomato sauce and pasta with basic recipes and the science behind it. Interesting and simple. I use my local library to digitally down load books of interest. My library has a great selection of cookbooks, some are not digitized so I just do an old fashioned check out. Hope this helps

  • Helen M.

    August 13, 2020

    Without a doubt, Hazen’s “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” is the best. Two others that I treasure: “Biba’s Northern Italian Cooking,” by Biba Caggiano, and “Cuccina Rustica” by La Place and Kli

  • Timothy M.

    August 30, 2020

    For what it’s worth, I have used Marcella Hazan’s, “Classic Italian Cookbook” (published in the early1990's, I believe) for decades. I consider it one of my essential cookbooks. Perhaps her newer “The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” (published in 2012) is something I need to consider. Lynn, if you are reading this, do you consider this newer book a must have upgrade? Thanks.

    • Lynn ClarkMilk Street Staff

      August 31, 2020

      Hi Timothy - The "Essentials" book is basically a compilation. It combines the recipes from her original "Classic Italian Cookbook" and the follow-up, "More Classic Italian Cooking." I think there are some new recipes added as well, so I would definitely say it's a worthwhile purchase since you get everything all in one place. It will render your Classics cookbook somewhat obsolete though! Hope that helps! Best, Lynn

  • Paul S.

    November 10, 2020

    Both the "Classic Italian Cookbook" and the "More Classic Italian Cooking" have very useful suggestions for meal planning or accompaniments to each recipe which are not included in "The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking".