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 Posted By: Cook Chatty Cathy 
Feb 19  # 16 of 28
Quote jglass wrote:
I love Italian food but I'm so limited on my knowledge.
I got on recipezzar the other day and they had a whole section dedicated to Italian dishes and I was like OMG I have never heard of most of these. I downloaded a bunch to try. I need to find a good cookbook that just covers hearty Italian dishes. Jon loves Italian food and hiding veggies in tomato sauce is one of the only ways I can get him to eat them.


Janie go give me a PM with your mailing address and I will send you an Italian cookbook that I just purchased, I am not really into it that much! Sorry I did not keep your address from last time:( I think you will love it. Not any photos though, but it is chock full of recipes that I just know you & Jon will love!
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 Posted By: Mama Mangia 
Feb 19  # 17 of 28
Quote chubbyalaskagriz wrote:
mama- what "famous" Italian cooks do you like- if any?

Do you like Lidia? Marcella Hazan? Lorenza DeMedici?


Yes - Lidia is good, Lorenza is good, Mario Batali has done some good recipes on TV, Gaida - I don't like, MaryAnn Esposito is good, the boys (Carrubba's) are good (John and Damian).

There are tons of Italian cookbooks out there - too bad they stink. And I don't go for the morons that are going to write an Italian cookbook, and "tweak" the recipes their way to make them "original".

that is not Italian.......not in my book

I'll stick to my homemade - eye-balling ways - yes I do measure for baking most things - and to be honest with you -

my favorite Italian cookbook is a Tuscan book that lists all the ingredients that are in the recipe but absolutely NO measurements

the sad part - if you want a good Italian cookbook - buy an OLD OLD OLD OLD ONE - these new ones are not worth wiping your hinie with!
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 Posted By: The Ironic Chef 
Feb 19  # 18 of 28
I agree with Mama as far as Italian food is concerned. To cook Italian food it's basically done to taste and personal preferences. Look at pizza places. It seems that every pizza place has a different tasting pizza and sauce. Everyone makes a different meatball. Just like meatloaf, lol.
I like a fresh tasting sauce with garlic, oregano and basil and hot pepper flakes but my wife prefers her sauce to be less spicy. She would rather dump her sauce from a jar but I can't stand the stuff. Seeing all the different jarred sauces in the store says someone likes it. The last thing I would want is a recipe that produces a sauce Like Ragu or Prego. To make a lasagna or a chicken parm and to end up with a bad sauce would be heart breaking.
I would say to get the idea for a recipe and make it your own. Use the spices, cheeses, cuts of meat ect. that you and your family enjoy. If you want to experiment with sauces that you have never made before then taste, taste and taste again. Usually one knows how much garlic or such they can get away with and everyone else will tolerate and enjoy.

My favorite Italian dish that I love to make is what I think is called a baked Ziti Siciliano. It's a baked Ziti with a layer of egg plant Parmesan between the layers of Ziti and Ricotta.

I'm a big fan of MaryAnn Esposito.
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 Posted By: cucinadinana 
Feb 19  # 19 of 28
holiday: la Vigilia (Christmas Eve)

Hands down, always and still the most revered holiday celebration in my family. We start discussions in August!
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 Posted By: chubbyalaskagriz 
Feb 20  # 20 of 28
RE: mama's "MaryAnn Esposito is good" and Cathy's "I'm a big fan of MaryAnn Esposito."


Mary Ann appeals to me too 'cause she's not all glammed-up and just keeps it real.

I do like my Sophia Loren cookbook, though. Whodda thunk one could be a beautiful actress AND a good cook all at once?

Saw a fun piece in a Saveur magazine last year or the year before that was a guy's reflection back on his mama's delicious "homemade" ragu sauce. They were from the old country and she was a working mom. She simmered a big pot of sauce but always started w/ store-bought jars of Ragu that she doctored-up with fresh 'maters, herbs, etc., then she would hide the empty jars in the trash cans out behind the garage before company came over! This guy claimed his mama couldn't hide the jars in the trash in the house 'cause the nosey company would find them! I got a chuckle outta that tale...