Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home

( 24 )

Overview

"The trick to cooking is that there is no trick." ––Mario Batali

The only mandatory Italian cookbook for the home cook, Mario Batali's MOLTO ITALIANO is rich in local lore, with Batali's humorous and enthusiastic voice, familiar to those who have come to know him on his popular Food Network programs, larded through about 220 recipes of simple, healthy, seasonal Italian cooking for the American audience.

Easy to use and simple to read, some of these recipes will be those "as ...

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More About This Book

Overview

"The trick to cooking is that there is no trick." ––Mario Batali

The only mandatory Italian cookbook for the home cook, Mario Batali's MOLTO ITALIANO is rich in local lore, with Batali's humorous and enthusiastic voice, familiar to those who have come to know him on his popular Food Network programs, larded through about 220 recipes of simple, healthy, seasonal Italian cooking for the American audience.

Easy to use and simple to read, some of these recipes will be those "as seen" on TV in the eight years of "Molto Mario" programs on the Food Network, including those from "Mediterranean Mario," "Mario Eats Italy," and the all–new "Ciao America with Mario Batali." Batali's distinctive voice will provide a historical and cultural perspective with a humorous bent to demystify even the more elaborate dishes as well as showing ways to shorten or simplify everything from the purchasing of good ingredients to pre–production and countdown schedules of holiday meals. Informative head notes will include bits about the provenance of the recipes and the odd historical fact.

Mario Batali's MOLTO ITALIANO will feature ten soups, thirty antipasti (many vegetarian or vegetable based), forty pasta dishes representing many of the twenty–one regions of Italy, twenty fish and shellfish dishes, twenty chicken dishes, twenty pork or lamb dishes and twenty side dishes, each of which can be served as a light meal. Add twenty desserts and a foundation of basic formation recipes and this book will be the only Italian cooking book needed in the home cook's library.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
Simply put, this book is a feast. Molto Italiano offers more than 300 easy-to-understand, easy-to-read recipes from master chef and Food Network star Mario Batali. The recipes include soups; antipasti; vegetarian dishes; regional pastas; fish; shellfish; chicken, pork and lamb dishes; side dishes; and desserts. The book is infused with Mario's distinctive voice and humor.
Publishers Weekly
It takes a kind of genius or obsessive personality to open five successful restaurants, host two Food Network shows and write three cookbooks, and Batali's manic energy comes alive on every page of this fourth book devoted to dishes for the home cook. With over 300 recipes, the volume is an overstuffed celebration of the rustic local fare Batali loves, organized by course (antipasto, soup, pasta, fish, etc.). Fans will find repeat renditions of signature Batali dishes found in his earlier volumes, such as Short Ribs in Barolo, and Bucatini all'Amatriciana, but can also discover tantalizing new ones, such as Malloredus with Fennel, Game Hen with Pomegranate, and Lamb Shanks with Orange and Olive. Batali excels when he translates complex traditional dishes for the modern kitchen, such as Pork Loin in the Style of Porchetta. But in his desire to keep things simple, he sometimes goes astray, as in the case of homemade sausage, which is reduced to two not-very-simple steps of instructions. Such compression threatens to undermine Batali's true passion for teaching Americans to savor the intense flavors of local ingredients simply prepared. All in all, the book tries to pack in too much; the two pasta sections would make a book in themselves. What the home cook really needs is more Mario, fewer recipes. Photos, drawings. (May) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780060734923
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 5/3/2005
  • Pages: 528
  • Sales rank: 83,881
  • Product dimensions: 7.37 (w) x 9.12 (h) x 1.36 (d)

Meet the Author

Mario Batali

Mario Batali is the James Beard Award-winning author of eight cookbooks, including Molto Batali, Molto Gusto, Molto Italiano, and Spain...A Culinary Road Trip, as well as the app Mario Batali Cooks! With a host of television shows to his name; fifteen restaurants; and Eataly, a fifty-thouasand-square-foot Italian marketplace in New York City's Flatiron District that he co-owns with his partner, Joe Bastianich, Mario Batali is one of the most recognized and most respected chefs working in America today. Mario splits his time between New York City's Greenwich Village and northern Michigan with his wife and their two sons.

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First Chapter

Molto Italiano
327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home

Lasagne

Lasagne alla Bolognese al Forno

When I first arrived in Emilia-Romagna, I was shocked to see lasagne made so simply. Then I tried the dish and was surprised at how truly delicious it tasted. It is almost a miracle how a few such simple ingredients can create such a complex symphony of flavors.

Makes 8 servings

2 1/2 pounds Green Pasta Dough (page 196)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ragu Bolognese (page 245)
8 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
3 1/2 cups Besciamella (page 65)
  1. Divide the pasta dough into 8 portions. Roll each one out through the thinnest setting on a pasta machine and lay the sheets on a lightly floured surface to dry for 10 minutes. Cut the pasta into 5-inch squares and cover with a damp kitchen towel.

  3. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 2 tablespoons salt. Set up an ice bath next to the stovetop, and add the oil. Drop the pasta into the boiling water, 6 or 7 pieces at a time, and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to the ice bath to cool, then drain on kitchen towels, laying the pasta flat.

  5. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

  7. Assemble the lasagne in a 10-by-20-inch lasagne pan (or use two 9-by-12-inch pans): Spread a layer of ragu over the bottom and top with a sprinkling of Parmigiano, a layer of pasta, a layer of besciamella, another layer of ragu, a sprinkling of Parmigiano, and pasta. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of pasta topped with besciamella and a sprinkling of Parmigiano.

  9. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the sauces are bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Calamari Neapolitan-Style

Calamari alla Luciana

This simple classic is often interpreted to include anything from bacon to zucchini, all of which may be good but are not traditional. The hero in this game is the brief cooking time, which results in calamari with a silken, tender texture, complemented but not overpowered by the slightly spicy tomato sauce.

Makes 6 servings

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
1 cup Basic Tomato Sauce (page 71)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 pounds calamari, cleaned, bodies cut into 1/4-inch-wide rings, tentacles left whole
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chiffonade
Salt
  1. In a 6-quart pot, combine 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat until the garlic is light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and wine and bring to a boil.

  3. Add the calamari and stir to mix well, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, parsley, and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature.

Chicken in the Style of Canzano

Pollo Canzanese

This Canzanese recipe is anything but a peasant dish, with the prosciutto and wine -- it probably descended from Spanish royalty, long-time tenants in and around Napoli.

Makes 4 servings

Two 3-pound chickens, cut into 8 serving pieces each
1 tablespoon salt
2 sprigs rosemary
2 fresh sage leaves
4 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, sliced
12 cloves
A small handful of black peppercorns, crushed
1 small dried hot chile
Two 1/4-inch-thick slices prosciutto di Parma, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
  1. Place the chicken in a large bowl and season with the salt. Add cold water to cover, and set aside for 30 minutes (see Brining, page 376).

  3. Drain the chicken, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large Dutch oven and add the rosemary, sage, bay leaves, garlic, cloves, peppercorns, chile, prosciutto, and wine. Cover, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is almost tender, about 35 minutes.

  5. Remove the lid and simmer to reduce the sauce by half, about 15 minutes longer. Remove the chile, if desired.

  7. Transfer the chicken to a warmed serving platter, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
Molto Italiano
327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home. Copyright © by Mario Batali. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 24 )
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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 24 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 7, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    For foodies

    This book is one that you'll turn to repeatedly - not the same old stuff. The recipes are easy and the tastes are sublime. Try the barbequed octopus with grilled escarole and mint - inspirational!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 17, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Simple & Delicious

    The recipes are not intricate, yet taste great. Most of these are perfect to prepare on your average evening after work.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 29, 2009

    Mario Takes You to the Next Level

    Once you know the basics, use this book to refine your skills. Read the entire recipe before you begin. There are prep work and ingredient requirements that may need a little extra attention, but the results are worth it! This is mot "fussy cooking", it's bringing out the best in favorite Italian dishes. Don't be afraid to go that next step!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 14, 2009

    Great Resource for Italian meal ideas

    We fell for this book immediately for the beautiful photos, comprehensive menu categories (separate chapters for appetizers, pasta, poultry, etc.) and thorough indexing (easy to look up an ingredient like fennel and find recipes to use it in). Wide ranging recipes from simple to complex and Mario's commentary paints a good picture of the way these dishes are enjoyed in their native land. Just a few nits: I am an accomplished cook, but some of the recipes don't come out as described, (one specified such a minimal amount of liquid I couldn't imagine where the promised sauce would come from; sure enough the end result was quite dry; nor did it resemble the photo). Another small nit: like many "celebrity chefs," Mario can be quite cavalier with hard-to-find or expensive ingredients; eg lavish amounts of saffron.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 30, 2009

    Mario Batali Does it Again

    In this cookbook, chef Mario Batali leads the reader/cook through the wonderful workd of Italian cooking. It is a must for an cooking library and will be used again and again. The recipes are wonderful and the directions very easy to follow.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 30, 2008

    AMAZING

    I went to CIA in new york and no lie this book tought me more i recomended it for anyone who is willing to try and learn the art of italian cooking.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted October 28, 2008

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    French Food, American Accent: Debra Ponzek's Spirited Cuisine
    Craft of Cooking: Notes and Recipes from a Restaurant Kitchen
    Bouchon
    Babbo Cookbook
    Think Like a Chef

    Cooking lessons from Uncle Mario

    This is a book you will turn to again and again, not just for the delicious recipes, but also for the gorgeous food photos and the force of personality in each description. When I pull this out, I always announce that "We're having something from Uncle Mario." And it feels like Batali is my uncle: gently guiding me through important meals with all of the warmth and appeal for which he's famous. <BR/><BR/>His approach to food is easy, but consistently successful, whether you're trying to make homemade pasta for the first time, or attempting something more daring. Following the directions precisely isn't totally necessary - the basic flavor combinations are strong enough to pull you through and forgive you your mistakes - and that frees you up to discover your inner chef. The recipes teach you as you make them, sending the information up through your fingers, across your tongue, and into your brain. That's the mark of a truly good cookbook, and by that measure, this is the best one in my kitchen.<BR/><BR/>PS: The copy I have is signed: "Spaghetti is love." There is a man who thinks about the world completely through food. How could we not trust him?

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 7, 2006

    best cook book ever

    i use my cookbook at least 4 times a week. its simple to follow directions make me look like a top chief, with very little experience on my part! mario you rock!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 2, 2005

    A Bargain!

    Where else can you find 300 great Italian recipes in one volume? You can tell Mario is a great chef just by looking at the guy. This is a man who knows and LOVES great food. I have several Italian cookbooks in my collection, but none capture the rustic Italian cooking style featured here.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 25, 2010

    Great recipes

    Great recipes, easy to make.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 30, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Anytime

    Very useful and great self starter cookbook

    Recipes are very easy to follow. The ingredients are very easy to find, colorful pictures, and very detailed step by step instructions. I have tried several recipes already and I am very satisfied. If you enjoy cooking you will never get tired of Molto.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 23, 2010

    Mario Batali Molto Italiano

    I bought this book for my Grandson for Christmas, he loves the book, I did go into my local store first to see the various Italian books looked like because I couldn't tell online what it looked like inside the book, or how easy the receipes were because my grandson is only 11 but that was his request for his Christmas present an Italian cookbook. When I brought it home my husband browsed through it and thought it was an excellent book. I only wish the online picture showed more of what the book looked like so I wouldn't have had to make a trip into the store. Purchasing it on line was agreat value.

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    Posted December 7, 2009

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    Posted January 26, 2010

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    Posted November 13, 2008

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    Posted August 19, 2010

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