From Publishers Weekly
Frequently leaving her London digs to teach cooking in her native Italy, Ferrigno (Risotto) assembles more than 150 recipes in this oddly titled book based on the ingredient she extols as "a complex-carbohydrate food" that "isn't high in calories at all," although she concedes that sauces often are. Not exactly "ultimate," this is more suitable to cooks new to the joys of pasta, because it is heavily weighted toward such mainstays as Pasta with Garlic and Oil, Farfalle with Gorgonzola Cream, and Spaghetti with Mushrooms. Recipes are arranged in six sections-"Soups," "Instant," "Everyday," "Light and Healthy," "Cook Ahead" and "Pasta to Impress"-and nearly all are within easy reach of cooks at any level. Among the most appealing are Conchiglie with Roasted Vegetables, Roasted Bell Pepper Pesto with Penne Rigate and Lasagne with Meatballs. The pastas to impress include Cheese Cappellacci with Bolognese Sauce (egg- and cheese-stuffed morsels shaped like bishops' miters) and Spinach, Ricotta and Tomato Pasta Roll, which is a long stuffed roll, wrapped in cheesecloth and boiled for 30 minutes, then sliced and broiled for five more. As expected from Rizzoli, the 175 color photos are sumptuous, including an 18-photo sequence demonstrating the steps for making pasta by hand.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Review
The staple food of Italy and now a worldwide favourite, pasta lends itself to every situation - a quick 5 minute supper for those on the run, baked for family gatherings, in soups for a light snack. Combined with fresh vegetables, fish or rich red meat, it is a guaranteed choice for satisfying every palate. Celebrated Italian chef Ursula Ferrigno departs from her usual vegetarian-only recipes, including a meat-lovers to-die-for array of recipes - pappardelle with rabbit sauce, veal meatballs and chicken strangozzi with courgette flowers. For vegetarians Ursula shares her exquisite pasta concoctions such as pizzocheri della valtellina, pasta con calabrese and fish dishes galore. Tantalisingly photographed by Peter Cassidy, the book presents a visual feast of sumptuous ideas, each page offering fresh ideas on how to use this versatile ingredient. From fresh homemade pasta to dried, she shares her innate experience of this Italian speciality now so easily available. Gleaned from all corners of Italy, her dishes are redolent of the climate and the people, providing a healthy style of living so amenable to our everyday lives. - Lucy Watson
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
