Even if you haven't landed one of the coveted internships in the kitchen at the American Academy in Rome, you can have a behind-the-scenes tutorial in the way that pastas and sauces are made in its kitchen. The recipes in Pasta are arranged in the same order as the interns are taught to make them, from simple to more complex, and are organized the way Italians think about pasta, not only as fresh or dry but by the base of the sauces (oil, tomato, meat, and vegetable).
Even the most sophisticated cooks will be intrigued by chef Christopher Boswell's engaging notes that explain what...