An A–Z of Pasta: Recipes for Shapes and Sauces, from Alfabeto to Ziti, and Everything in Between

Guardian columnist Roddy (Two Kitchens: 120 Family Recipes from Sicily and Rome) highlights 50 varieties of pasta in this winning collection. Each entry includes a short introduction to and history of the shape being considered, whether anelli, a “factory-made, durum wheat and water dried pastina that comes in various sizes”; penne, which owes its sauce-collecting quill design to a Genovese man who in 1865 patented a machine that cut on the diagonal; or lasagna, which is described in a 14th-century cookbook as dough made into “fingers.” Recipes feature traditional pairings as well as Roddy’s recommendations­­—ruote (wagon wheels) matches with ricotta and lemon zest, ziti is drowned in a silky onion and beef sauce­—and regional specialties are noted, such as the curly, two-dough gnocchi of Abruzzo and the orecchiette that’s handcrafted by women sitting at tables along a street in Puglia’s Old Bari. Roddy’s knowledge of and passion for her subject are evident on every page, and readers will appreciate the look behind curtain as Roddy recalls her own education, such as honing her ravioli-making skills under Rome chef Carla Tomasi. This would happily complement any collection of Italian cookbooks. Agent: Rosemary Scoular, United Agents. (Mar.)