OP: Bugialli's Italy

William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, 1998. Hardcover. Fine. First printing.

Bugialli’s Italy, published in conjunction with the PBS show of the same name, is an approachable distillation of Giuliano Bugialli’s regional cooking expertise. Though the recipes are organized by course (antipasti, primi piatti, vegetables, mains, and desserts), each is identified by the region from which it originates.

Between the range of skill level or time required to achieve success and the thoughtful headnotes—sometimes anecdotal, other times historical or technical—the book has a well-roundedness which allows a home cook to feel confident in cooking and chatting about Italian cuisine like an expert. All that while building your repertoire with dishes like:

• Venetian anitra al coccio—duck confit, a fine accompaniment to cannellini beans or on its own as an appetizer
• Gnocchi di zucca al grana—winter squash gnocchi from Mantua
• Piselli alla Romana—lightly simmered peas with guanciale, parsley and mint, and garlic, served with crostini
• Friulian gamberi alle erbe—sauteed shrimp in an aromatic herb and horseradish sauce
• Migliaccio delle Valli di Romagna—a fruit cake which employs Arborio rice, nuts, dried fruits, ricotta, Sherry and cocoa powder

Ours is a Fine first printing. Color photograph insert.