I’ve been referencing Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking so much as I work on dishes for these posts on Italy, that it seemed only fair to share a full review with you all, so you can consider it for your own collections. I feel like this cookbook has just about every recipe you could possibly ever want in regards to Italian cooking. Plus another huge bonus is the instruction in important techniques of Italian cooking, menu planing, and information about the Italian way of eating. The other cookbook that keeps coming to mind when I think of Essentials is The Fanny Farmer Cookbook. Though they cover different cuisines, both chock full of information and speak with a natural authority that comes form really knowing your topic. While the book is very thorough, it doesn’t feel unwieldy, overwhelming, or boring. Marcella Hazan is engaging and her instructions are easy to follow. Best of all, every single recipe I tried or adapted from turned out fantastic. If you want to learn to cook Italian food in any depth, I can not recommend this cookbook enough.
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