(Part 2) Best italian cooking, food & wine books according to redditors

Pasta with butter and cheese is a pretty common dish in Italy, the kind of thing one might just whip up at home. As the story goes, a Roman chef named Alfredo di Lelio made an extra-rich version for his wife, with 'triplo burro' (which means what it sounds like). When Alfredo later opened his own restaurant, his fettuccine al triplo burro was a big hit. His restaurant often attracted Hollywood celebrity types, who made the dish fashionable in the US too. Imitators in the US made a few changes to the recipe, and we ended up with the cream-laden sauce we call Alfredo today.

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Recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/04/how-to-make-real-deal-fettuccine-alfredo-sauce.html

Further reading: https://smile.amazon.com/Cooking-Roman-Way-David-Downie/dp/0060188928

Found it in here Amazon

Youtube Video made by Gennaro Contaldo

So easy. So delicious. U have to try and dont forget the dryed Oregano, its a must have in there.

Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery if they like Indian food. My parents own this, as does my sister and I. I'll buy my kids a copy when they leave home.

The Silver Spoon and/or The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking if they're into Italian. Jamie's Italy if they're looking for something more approachable or casual.

Salt Fat Acid Heat is apparently very good, I own it, but I've not read it yet.

I am so glad you tried it!

Marcella Hazan has these magical little gourmet recipes with just a few ingredients that work so well. Julia Child called Marcella Hazan her mentor in all things Italian. I really recommend her book Classic Italian Cooking, which you can pick up from Amazon used from $0.01.

Thank you so much for posting your follow up comment. I'm so glad you liked my favorite chicken recipe!

Wow, this looks like a really good book!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1402787839

This is actually very similar to the version of Lasagne Alla Bolognese in the cookbook Extra Virgin: Recipes & Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen (search "In This Book" for "lasagna". It's on page 65) except meatless. I also had the most amazing, simple pasta in Cinque Terre that I still yearn for!

P.S. that cookbook is amazing.

I always keep pork hocks in the freezer for stuff like this.

Whatever recipe you use, first brown the pork hock and then add the rest of your ingredients. Remove the hock when the sauce is finished. It gives the sauce a great deal of flavor.

Also pick up a copy of the Frankies Sputino Kitchen Companion and Cooking Manual. It's affordable and has some awesome recipes for good old fashioned Italian cooking. One of my favorites is the Orecchiette with Pistachio/mint pesto. It is really quick and easy to make and soooo delicious.

There's this, this or this - all have positive reviews. This is a very nice cookbook for Renaissance cooking.

I really dig this dish, although I do mashed potatoes instead of the grits. I've also been making the Penne with Prosciutto and Mushrooms out of this book for something like 20 years now.

Since you're asking about books in a used bookstore, let me suggest this great Italian cookbook that is out of print.

If you come across it, snap it up. It is the single most ragged and worn out cookbook in my kitchen.

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Italian-Taste-Technique-Cooking/dp/0375402268

Don't know if copyright date means much too ya...
https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Regional-Cooking-Ada-Boni/dp/1199702897

These are all great starts -

http://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Classic-Italian-Cooking-Marcella/dp/039458404X


http://www.amazon.com/Lidias-Italy-Simple-Delicious-Recipes/dp/1400040361/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413903918&sr=1-6&keywords=lidia+bastianich+cookbooks

http://www.amazon.com/Mario-Batali-Simple-Italian-Food/dp/0609603000/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413903950&sr=1-9&keywords=mario+batali

My uncle sent me this book a while back and it has some great, simple, step by step recipes with tons of pictures.
http://www.amazon.com/Italian-Visual-Step---step-Cookbook/dp/1407590936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394494572&sr=8-1&keywords=frame+by+frame+italian

I've sold about 25 of them then couldn't find anymore. Even went to the 10 local chain dollar stores with no luck. I sold about 18 new and the rest used before I really figured out used ones were selling for me.

Here is the book, looks like its still doing good

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1609614607/ref=olp_f_new

With all that said, I would only suggest selling new as used if the prices are similar. I found 2 textbook that were brand new/still in shrink wrap that I sold as new because the new price was about 40 dollar higher than used.

And if you want Italian American cooking, buy this: https://www.amazon.com/Italian-American-Cookbook-Cooking-Tradition/dp/1558321667

I would get you The Sarcastic Italian Chef Cookbook (I knew that Googling 'sarcastic cookbook' would yield something!).

I'm using Giada's Kitchen. Nothing crazy, but it was a gift from my husband a few years back and I know he will appreciate it. Plus it's only 108 recipes, so at 2-3 per week I should have no trouble doing it all.

I improvised the dough for the ravioli from the Culinary Institute's new cookbook. Available here:
http://www.amazon.com/Italian-Cooking-Culinary-Institute-America/dp/047018258X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334468100&sr=8-1
I see you can get a used copy with shipping for $6. Definitely worth it. I have made many recipes from there and have posted some on here.
Followed the ricotta recipe kind of and improvised by adding some meat to it: Sausage, ground beef, onions, garlic, spinach, ricotta, etc...

Great cookbook though.