Cucina Povera
The Italian Way of Transforming Humble Ingredients into Unforgettable Meals
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- $33.99
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- $33.99
Publisher Description
Tuscan native and accomplished home cook Giulia Scarpaleggia shares the wholesome, comforting, and nostalgic recipes of cucina povera—Italian peasant cooking that is equal parts thrifty, nourishing, and delicious.
The Italians call it l’arte dell’arrangiarsi, or the “art of making do with what you’ve got.” This centuries-old approach to ingredients and techniques, known as cucina povera, or peasant cooking, reveals the soul of Italian food at its best. It starts with the humblest components—beans and lentils, inexpensive fish and cuts of meat, vegetables from the garden, rice, pasta, leftovers—and through the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the cook, results in unforgettably delicious and satisfying meals.
In 100 recipes, Cucina Povera celebrates the best of this tradition, from the author’s favorite, pappa al pomodoro (aka leftover bread and tomato soup), to Florentine Beef Stew, Nettle and Ricotta Gnudi, and Sicilian Watermelon Pudding. Soul satisfying, super healthy, budget-friendly, and easy to make, it’s exactly how so many of us want to eat today.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Juls' Kitchen blogger Scarpaleggia (From the Markets of Tuscany) celebrates "the art of making do with what you've got" in this nifty collection of Italian peasant-style recipes. This centuries-old cooking tradition relies on simple but high-quality ingredients and the creative repurposing of leftovers: stale bread, for example, can be used as fried breadcrumbs for bread-and-anchovy-stuffed sweet green peppers, sandwich bread for fried mozzarella sandwiches, or a hearty element in bean and lacinato kale soup. Scarpaleggia's array of regional recipes—including Sicilian watermelon pudding, Genoese chickpea and chard stew, and Basilicata-style baked salt cod with potatoes—emphasizes the expansive flavors of la cucina povera and will appeal to plenty of palates. Crowd-pleasers include minestrone soup and chicken cacciatore, while dishes like roasted pork liver skewers and veal tongue with parsley sauce will lure the more adventurous. Engaging sidebars add enlightening context (both the feminine "arancine" and masculine "arancini" are correct names for Sicilian fried rice balls) as well as helpful tips (if short on time, store-bought puff pastry can replace a homemade pie shell for the spinach and ricotta pie). For resourceful home cooks who prefer a farm-to-table approach and Italian flair, this book is a must.
