Lidia’s the Art of Pasta: An Italian Cookbook

Writing that pasta is “like having a blank slate to cook with,” Bastianich, the Emmy Award–winning host of Lidia’s Kitchen, exudes enthusiasm in this valuable compendium of more than 100 recipes cowritten with her daughter (with whom she previously collaborated on Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine). A chapter on tomato sauces covers the classics, such as marinara, amatriciana, and alla vodka, followed by a chapter on vegetable-forward dishes, which notes that authentic Italian recipes generally feature a “higher ratio of vegetables to pasta than in the U.S.” Seafood pastas include linguine with clam sauce, while meaty dishes run the gamut from familiar spaghetti and meatballs to duck sauce paired with bigoli, a thick noodle with a “great mouthfeel.” Other sections cover filled pastas, baked pastas, and gnocchi variations. A final chapter on fresh pasta offers instructions for mixing dough by hand or in a food processor with several types of flour. Personal anecdotes and handy tips—including a recommendation to use both domestic and aged pecorino in cacio e pepe—round things out. Much of the dicing and prep work appears within the ingredient lists, making some recipes seem breezier than they will be in execution, but Bastianich is a capable instructor and provides step-by-step illustrations when necessary. Italophiles will relish this essential guide. (Oct.)