Well Fed Network

Posted by Brilynn Ferguson on Paper Palate.

The first thing I noticed as I flipped through The New Regional Italian Cuisine Cookbook by Reinhardt Hess, Cornelia Schinharl and Sabine Salzer was the abundance of beautiful pictures. There is a photo of every single recipe, as well as scenic shots of Italy and close-ups of ingredients. Photos are a major plus in any cookbook and this one certainly goes above and beyond the call of duty and as a result allows you to get a feel for not only the finished dishes but also where they come from.

Unlike basic, run of the mill Italian cookbooks that lump all of Italy into one category of cooking that mainly includes pasta and pizza, Regional Italian Cuisine features recipes from eight culinary regions, using ingredients and techniques that are specific to each one. Every region is introduced with an explanation of why certain foods are particular to it (which varies depending on factors such as landscape, climate, inhabitants and surrounding borders) and what we are likely to find there. The regions are then divided by recipes for Appetizers, First Courses, Main Courses, Side Dishes and Dessert and are labeled in both Italian and English.

What is especially helpful is that the book is indexed not only by region, but also by course, so that even though appetizers are spread throughout the book, a quick look at the index will reveal all of them together.

Another nice feature in this book are the pages devoted strictly to a particular ingredient which are scattered throughout the book and feature wine, herbs, lesser known vegetables, fruit and meat. Along with the fantastic photos, these pages help to acquaint you with the individual regions and their specialties.

The only gripe I have about this cookbook (and it’s a minor one) is that some of the ingredients are not easy to source, such as bottarga, boar, rabbit or chanterelles. However, I’m glad they didn’t try to substitute them with other ingredients that would have affected the integrity of the recipes. These ingredients add to the authenticity of the dishes and make me want to find them so that I can make the recipes properly (and it is possible to find these ingredients, you just might have to look a little harder, the internet makes everything possible now).

So far I’ve made Insalata al Pecorino (Salad with Pecorino Cheese), Ossobuco d’Agnello (Braised Lamb Shanks) and Crostatina di Mele (Apple Puff Pastry Cake) and I’m looking forward to trying other dishes like Chickpea Soup with Prawns, Ricotta ‘Meatballs,’ Stuffed Gnocchi with Chanterelle Ragu and Nougat Honey Semi-Iced Cream. I think The New Regional Italian Cuisine Cookbook is one that I will turn to again and again for delicious recipes.

Insalata al Pecorino (Salad with Pecorino Cheese- Tuscany)

Ingredients for 4:

2 eggs
7 oz mixed salad greens, (preferably several varieties such as Romaine, arugula, radiccio and chicory or Belgian endive)
3.5 oz aged pecorino cheese
2 T raisins
¼ cup pine nuts
8 anchovies (preserved in oil)
2 T white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 T olive oil

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Per Portion: about 335 calories

Cook eggs in simmering water for about 10 minutes and rinse them with ice cold water. Rinse, trim, and pat dry the salad greens; tear them into bite-sized pieces.

Cut the rind off the cheese and shave it with a vegetable peeler. Soak the raisins in hot water. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until they are golden brown. Mince the anchovies.

Whisk the vinegar and olive oil to a creamy consistency; season with salt and pepper (taste before salting, as anchovies and pecorino are already salty). Peel the eggs and cut in wedges. Drain the raisins.

Toss the salad greens, cheese, raisins, anchovies, and pine nuts with the dressing; if necessary season with salt and pepper. Garnish the salad with the eggs and serve.