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Picking a favorite Italian cuisine cookbook is hard, if not impossible. Only a couple, however, have managed to remain on my top ten favorite cookbooks list in the last decade. And Let’s Cook Italian by chef Gennaro Contaldo is one of them.
What’s real Italian cuisine?
No other national cuisine is quite as ubiquitous as Italian. I’ve encountered very few people who flat out don’t like it and nary a person who has never tasted a variety of Italian dishes. Perhaps because it has become so internationalized and commonplace, original Italian cuisine has often been bastardized around the world.
Having been raised on Mediterranean cuisine, I was fortunate enough to have discovered proper Italian cuisine early on. And too often sorely disappointed when I eagerly grasped for what was allegedly Italian food in other countries.
So, in the early days of the web and cooking shows, I ventured out to find old, true Italian recipes. Soon enough, I came upon chef Gennaro Contaldo. He was and remains the nonno I’d never had. Gennaro has single-handedly taught me most of what I know when it comes to old-school Italian family meals and pasta.
If we’re going to cook, let’s cook Italian
Though my pile of Contaldo’s cookbooks is still growing, his take on favorite family recipes in Let’s Cook Italian is the crown jewel of the lot. If I had to pick just one of Gennaro’s cookbooks to own, this would be it.
Whether you’re a beginner or looking to perfect your cooking skills, Gennaro has you covered, in this one book. So why is this particular edition my favorite? Honestly, because Gennaro’s cookbooks don’t exactly come cheap. Don’t get me wrong, they’re worth every penny. But if you’re going to treat yourself to just one, Let’s Cook Italian provides you with all of the basics.
My favorite recipe from this cookbook is proof of the clarity and simplicity of the volume itself. A delectable, easy roast chicken with garlic, lemon and herbs. Though paired with made-from-scratch ravioli in the original recipe, which I adore but seldom have time for, I tend to whip up some straightforward mash and roast veggies and call it Sunday lunch.
In short, Let’s Cook Italian could be your entire summer meal plan. From light lunches for one to full family meals, your menu will want for nothing.
If you’re considering buying this volume for your kitchen bookshelf, we also recommend you buy Gennaro’s Slow Cook Italian edition.
The Cookbook Addict began as a single-person blog covering favorite cookbooks, but is fast growing into a community of cookbook and cooking blog aficionados.
