Trattoria: A Passion for Italian Food

Ferrigno, who teaches cooking in London, traveled throughout her home country, visiting mostly family-run trattorias from Alto Adige in the very north, down to Sicily, acquiring recipes along the way. Some of the dishes she presents are traditional, even ancient (Renaissance Chicken Salad was on the menu at a 15th-century royal wedding), but others will strike Americans who are used to trattoria fare as quite novel, such as surprising and delightful Radicchio Lasagne, or Seafood Cannelloni with Saffron Sauce. The chapters span the usual courses from appetizer to dessert, with one for breads and pizzas. Standards like Spaghetti with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes; Osso Buco; and Minestrone are here, and Ferrigno's descriptions of their origins and generally simple preparations make them genuinely home-style. Cooks without access to a good butcher or Italian market may be stymied by some of the demands for ingredients, and Ferrigno sometimes glosses over steps in the instructions, but most of the recipes are flexible and intuitive enough that the results will be mouthwatering. Vivid photos of Italians and Italy in addition to those of the food lend this book even more warm, authentic flavor. (Apr.)