Giuseppe’s Italian Bakes: 60 Classic Cakes, Desserts and Savoury Bakes

Inspired by his father’s passion for cooking, Dell’Anno, the 2021 winner of the Great British Bake Off, debuts with a solid bounty of baked goods that are rooted in Italian traditions. The refreshingly no-nonsense prose complements the author’s matter-of-fact approach, and recipe origin stories are brief but informative (on torta della nonna, a pie filled with pistachio cream and decorated with pistachios: “Its origins are in Tuscany, where it became ubiquitous in restaurants in the 80s”). Cakes and tarts include amor polenta (polenta sponge cake) topped with whipped cream and raspberries, and crostata semola e cioccolata, a ricotta-filled semolina and chocolate tart from Tuscany. Cookie choices—occhi di bue (ox eyes) with apricot jam sandwiched between two crunchy almond biscuits, and the oddly shaped, hazelnut-filled brutti ma buoni (“ugly but good”)—are small but sweet indulgences. Calzoni and tiella constitute the heart of the savory dishes, with four different filling options, including ripieno di cipolle made with onion, olives, and salami. QR codes link to Dell’Anno’s YouTube channel, where he demonstrates trickier techniques, such as how to laminate the dough of a focaccia barese. A champion under the tent scores a victory on the page with this toothsome collection. (Dec.)