The Book of Pasta

This superb book is a truly comprehensive guide to choosing, making, cooking and enjoying Italian pasta. It contains a wealth of fascinating information about every aspect of Italy’s favourite food, and features 150 classic and original recipes from simple yet robust soups to fresh and healthy salads, and from rich and warming bakes and casseroles to delicately stuffed pasta parcels.

A VISUAL CATALOGUE: The comprehensive full-colour identification guide contains fabulous photographs of the huge range of dried and fresh pasta types, including long, short and flat varieties; shapes for soup and for stuffing; regional pastas, and designer shapes. Each is accompanied by fascinating information on its origins, the various forms and names, and traditional sauces.

A PRACTICAL GUIDE: The techniques section guides you through the secrets of making, cooking and serving pasta and includes step-by-step information about successful home-made pastas, from noodles and shape-cutting to flavoured and coloured varieties. There are guidelines on preparation and presentation, matching shapes to sauces, how pasta should be eaten and what wines to choose.

THE PASTA PANTRY: A colourful visual guide to all the key pasta sauce ingredients includes fresh herbs and leaves, seasonings, spices, oils and vinegars, flavourings, fish and shellfish, vegetables, and cheese and cream. The main items of pasta-making equipment are also pictured.

THE RECIPE COLLECTION: Featuring over 150 inspirational recipes, the book presents a combination of classic favourites, regional specialities and original, contemporary ideas. There are recipes for every kind of pasta dish: simple broths and hearty soups, tomato and cream sauces, fish and shellfish, meat and poultry, vegetables and vegetarian dishes, baked and stuffed pasta dishes, fresh and healthy recipes, and salads.

Illustrated throughout with over 800 glorious photographs, and with easy-to-read, informative text and enticing, authentic recipes, this is the definitive kitchen guide, sourcebook, reference manual and recipe collection – the one and only book any pasta-lover will ever need.

• With over 800 photographs, informative text and enticing recipes, this is the definitive guide to the art of making, cooking and enjoying pasta
• Features 150 traditional and innovative pasta recipes in beautiful colour photography
• A detailed techniques section guides you through the secrets of making your own pasta successfully by hand and machine, from cutting shapes and noodles to making flavoured and coloured varieties
• A comprehensive, full-colour identification guide contains fabulous photographs of a vast array of dried and fresh pasta types and shapes, including regional varieties and unusual designer shapes
• Includes classic dishes such as Tagliatelle alla Bolognese and Fettuccine all’Alfredo, regional specialities such as Ravioli alla Romagnola, and original and contemporary ideas such as Pipe with Ricotta, Saffron and Spinach, and Tagliatelle Tricolore
• Includes a full-colour guide to pasta-making equipment
• A colourful visual guide to all the key pasta sauce ingredients, such as fresh herbs and leaves, seasonings, spices, oils and vinegars, meats, fish and shellfish, vegetables and cheeses
• How to match pasta types and shapes to the different sauces and recipes.

About the Author

Jeni Wright is a highly respected culinary expert and food writer. Her speciality is the food of Italy, but she has penned dozens of articles on a wide range of cooking subjects for the top food and drink magazines and she is also a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Her published works include Italian Food & Cooking, Le Cordon Bleu’s Complete Cooking Techniques, Just Desserts, Le Cordon Bleu Classic Light, Cucina Rapida: Quick Italian-Style Home Cooking, Easy As …. 123 Italian Cooking, The Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking, and Tuscan Food and Folklore.