Dawn Altomari - The Everything Easy Italian Cookbook: Includes Oregano-Almond Pesto, Classic Chicken Parmesan, Grilled Portobello Mozzarella Polenta, Shrimp Scampi, Anisette Cookies...and Hundreds More!

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PUBLISHER Karen Cooper

MANAGING EDITOR, EVERYTHING SERIES Lisa Laing

COPY CHIEF Casey Ebert

ASSISTANT PRODUCTION EDITOR Alex Guarco

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR Hillary Thompson

SENIOR DEVELOPMENT EDITOR Brett Palana-Shanahan

EVERYTHING SERIES COVER DESIGNER Erin Alexander

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Avon, Massachusetts

ITALIAN CUISINE IS BELOVED the world over. Famous for their slow-simmered sauces, succulent roasts, fresh homemade pastas, and sinfully creamy gelato, Italian chefs, both modern and traditional, know the secrets behind the acclaimed dishes celebrated in kitchens and restaurants around the globe. Chances are, if youre reading this book, you love Italian cuisine as wellbut if you are like most home cooks across America, you dont have as much time to spend in the kitchen as youd like. Whipping up traditional Italian favorites, such as lasagna, chicken Parmesan, or risotto, isnt an easy feat, especially on busy weeknights and hectic weekends. Thats where the magic of The Everything Easy Italian Cookbook comes in. This big collection of recipes brings the flavors, textures, and aromas you love about Italian cuisine to your own home, and for a fraction of the cost and time that traditional Italian recipes require. With the easy-to-follow recipes here, youll feel as comfortable creating a four-course holiday meal as you will a simple weeknight supper. And you wont sacrifice flavor, eitherthe recipes here are chef tested and Nonna approved.

The purpose of this book is to give you a feel for authentic Italian cuisine. However, compiling a comprehensive collection of recipes to represent the food of Italy is an enormous task. Italy is broken up into several regions, each of which has its own unique character that is dictated by geography and culture. In addition to these regional differences, there is also a distinction between the food of Italys home kitchens and that of Italian restaurants. From one place to another, you will encounter different spices, different vegetables, and different meats, but they all contribute to the general Italian palate. This book brings together the best flavors of Italian cuisine with step-by-step recipes and readily available ingredients.

In (Chapter 16). And there are a few dishes usually associated with other cultures that are given here with traditional Italian ingredients or a typically Italian flair. All come together in an incredible meld of flavor and creativity. Though some of these recipes are easier versions of traditional fare, you can further customize them to your own tastes and the tastes of your family. Add and subtract ingredients to make foods creamier, sweeter, more colorful, or more nutritious. Cooking is all about experimentation!

Above all, remember that classic Italian cooking is about simplicity, quality ingredients, and sharing flavors and dishes with those you love. So grab your favorite ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and prepare to create irresistible meals in no time. Buon appetito!

Italian cuisine is largely based on family tradition and is characterized by fresh ingredients and simple preparation. Mastering classic Italian cooking does not have to be intimidating or time-consuming; in fact, by learning the basics of regional cuisine and cooking with traditional ingredients, youll create delicious Italian meals with ease, and feel comfortable adapting recipes to suit your tastes. In this chapter, youll learn about classic ingredients and cooking styles unique to Italys separate regions, and broaden your understanding of one of the worlds most popular cuisines. With some practice and a little experimentation, you will create incredible Italian favorites in the comfort of your own home.

Todays Italian cuisine is the result of the slow integration of the many different regional traditions and food customs. When the regions of Italy were unified in the mid-nineteenth century, only about a half million Italians out of the total population of 25 million were able to speak and understand the national languageinstead they spoke their own regional dialects.

The same kind of separation was also reflected in the food of each region. However, the slow unification of the regions into one nation and the increased interaction and travel between the different parts of Italy caused both the language and the cooking styles to integrate. While the traditional food customs of each region still exist in the kitchens of Italian homes, restaurants offer the more unified national cuisinea collection of favorites from the various regional cultures.