Pasta: The Essential New Collection from the Master of Italian Cookery

Carluccio (100 Pasta Recipes; Two Greedy Italians; etc.) has been instructing readers on the nuances and regional variations of Italian cuisine for years, but this collection of more than 100 pasta recipes might be his best book yet. Carluccio sticks to his starchy guns, offering recipes showcasing the myriad of often simple but tasty uses for various pasta styles from all over Italy. Once readers have outfitted their kitchens with a few key pieces of equipment (a rolling pin, a heavy pot, a colander, and chopping board) and gotten a handle on Carluccio’s pasta-making process (which is elegantly described, with helpful photos), they’re ready to whip up all manner of delicacies, including fettuccine, tagliatelle, ravioli, and others. As far as putting that pasta to work, Carluccio provides page after page of simple recipes that can work with any number of pasta shapes: angel hair pasta with truffle sauce, mafalde with romanesco and anchovy sauce, spaghetti with duck sauce, green ravioli stuffed with burrata, and many more. In all cases, save a few such as scorpion fish with chunky pasta, readers should be able to locate the handful of required ingredients, and Carluccio thoughtfully offers suggestions for substitutes for key ingredients and pastas. This is a superb addition to shelves already groaning with Italian cookbooks. Pasta lovers will want to give this one some serious consideration.[em] (Nov.) [/em]