Introduction 1Part 1: Introducing the Art of Italian Cooking 7Chapter 1: Cooking the Italian Way: That's Amore! 9Chapter 2: Pizza, Pasta, and So Much More: Appreciating Italian Tradition 17Chapter 3: Base Recipes: The Backbone of the Italian Kitchen 27Chapter 4: Cooking with an Eye on the Calendar 43Chapter 5: Stocking an Italian Pantry 59Part 2: Appetizers and First Courses 73Chapter 6: Starting Meals the Italian Way: Antipasti/Appetizers and Aperitivi 75Chapter 7: Dressing Dishes with Italian Sauces 89Chapter 8: Using Dried Pasta in Daily Meals 105Chapter 9: Making Fresh Pasta: A Labor of Love 123Chapter 10: More Delicious First-Course Dishes 147Part 3: Main Courses, Side Dishes, and Salads 175Chapter 11: Secondi/Main Courses: Fish and Seafood 177Chapter 12: Secondi/Main Courses Take Two: Eggs and Poultry 191Chapter 13: Secondi/Main Courses Take Three: More Meats 205Chapter 14: Adding Contorni: Authentic Vegetable Side Dishes 219Chapter 15: Insalate/Salads 233Part 4: Breakfast and Other Sweet Treats, Baked Goods, and Desserts 245Chapter 16: Starting Your Day with Colazione: Italian Breakfast 247Chapter 17: Fruit, Cheese, and Nuts: Bridging the Gap Between Dinner and Dessert 267Chapter 18: Classic Dolci/Desserts: Elevating the Everyday 283Chapter 19: Baking Treats for Holidays and Special Occasions 311Chapter 20: Making the Dough You Know and Love: Bread, Pizza, and Focaccia 327Part 5: The Part of Tens 351Chapter 21: Ten Commandments of Italian Cuisine 353Chapter 22: Ten Fun Ways to Master Italian Cooking 359Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 363Index 367
Amy Riolo is an award-winning author, chef, television personality, food historian, and culinary anthropologist. She is known for simplifying recipes for the home cook. She leads culinary tours in Italy, is the co-founder of A.N.I.T.A. (National Italian Academy of Food Traditions), and has her own line of private-label Italian products.