Big Mamma Cucina Popolare: Contemporary Italian Recipes

This labor of love by the France-based Big Mamma restaurant group presents 130 recipes for its most popular dishes. In addition to popular Italian staples, such as bruschetta with caponata, margherita pizza, and veal saltimboca, there are dozens of dishes that have a distinctive twist like pasta with chickpeas and shrimp, beetroot risotto with yogurt sauce, and peach and pistachio panna cotta. Contributing to the volume’s lighthearted feel are dishes named after pop culture figures, such as Egg Sheeran (poached eggs with cress cream), Snoop Dogg Pasta (tagliolini with rapini and anchovies), and Daft Punch (fruit punch with prosecco); a variety of witty sidebars (“This dish is perfect for impressing a date... if the date doesn’t work out at least you will have eaten well!”) will boost the home cook’s confidence. Included throughout is crucial advice from the restaurant group’s chefs that teach readers how to choose a good truffle (“size is all important... they should not be too small”), make perfect Chantilly cream, and much more. This is an ideal cookbook for readers who are looking to create Italian dishes with a contemporary twist. (Jan.)