Lean Italian Cooking

Lean cuisine and rich flavors at first sound like a paradoxical combination. But as Casale ( Italian Family Cooking, The Long Life Cookbook) triumphantly reveals in this new collection of classic Italian favorites, one can have both. According to her, the most important rule of thumb to use in securing them is moderation, with quality valued more than quantity. Other key factors include the use of natural and low-fat products, fresh vegetables, herbs and exact measurements. In addition, Casale defends her claim that one can eat healthily without sacrificing full-bodied taste by accompanying each recipe with nutritional information, per serving. And the recipes also bear out the pleasure principle in cooking and eating, with standouts including linguine with sun-dried tomato pesto; roast leg of lamb with herbs; chicken cutlets with tomato and mozzarella; and ricotta cheesecake. With these and others, Casale defies the myth that Italian food must be laden with calories. (Feb.)