At My Italian Table - by Laura Vitale (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Bring the joy of Italian living to your kitchen with 100 family-friendly Italian and Italian American recipes from social media star and beloved author of Laura in the Kitchen In Laura Vitale's first cookbook she shared recipes from her popular YouTube cooking channel. Now, in At My Italian Table, she turns her focus to Italy, where she was born and lived until she was a young woman, and where her Nonna's cooking made a lasting imprint. Home sick for the food she grew up with, as a teenager Laura found that chatting with Nonna on the phone and then recreating the dishes Nonna used to make, like Creamy Polenta with Frizzled Mushrooms or Fagiola a Zuppa over Bread, helped her find comfort in her new home. Now she makes dishes like Spaghetti Aglio e Olio di Nonna, Cacio e Pepe Arancini, and Charcoal Roasted for her daughter and husband as well as for her hundreds of thousands of fans. In Untitled, Laura shares weekday go-tos and comforting, transportive Sunday suppers, and loads of tips on how to cook like an Italian grandma. As a working mom, she of course speaks to efficiency and ease as well. Chapters include: Before Dinner Snacking (Because We Don't Believe in Formal Canapes Around Here): Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms and Whipped Ricotta with Honey and Herbs Quick and Easy Mains for when Time and Patience are Short but Dinner is a Priority: Pork Chops and Fried Peppers and Rigatoni with Sausage and Mushrooms An Italian Sunday (or Days Where You Want to Shimmy into Nonna Mode): Ham and Fontina Lasagna and Risotto Alla Pescatore Seriously Good Vegetable Sides and Salads (That I Often Eat as Dinner with Some Crusty Bread): Roasted Cauliflower with Green Olives and Creamy Polenta with Frizzled Mushrooms Sweet Ending (Because as Nonna would Say, "No Self-respecting Italian Would Dare Ending a Meal Without Something Sweet"): Sorbetto al Limone and Olive Oil Apple Snack Cake Laura's deep love of Italian cuisine shines strong through this collection of delightfully homey and highly appealing recipes"--

Book Synopsis

Bring the joy of Italian cooking to your kitchen with 100 classic and incredibly delicious Italian family favorites, from the star of Laura in the Kitchen.

When Laura Vitale moved to the United States from her native Italy as a teenager, she was homesick--not just for her family, but for her beloved nonna's cooking. The slow-cooked Sunday sauces loaded with pork ribs and tender braised beef (and plenty of red wine), the quick pan-fried breaded chicken cutlets destined to be Parmesan'd, the frittata de maccheroni that she'd tuck in a knapsack for beachside picnics . . . and so began a quest to re-create Nonna's delicious legacy in Laura's New Jersey kitchen.

Ever since, Laura has spent countless hours on the phone with Nonna to learn her secrets for the crispiest fried Cacio e Pepe Aranini, Zia Mimma's Focaccia Barese (mashed potatoes are the key to its fluffy texture), decadent four-cheese baked ziti, a Sunday supper go-to of Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Herby Lemon Salsa, and a semolina cake to end all yellow cakes, topped with heaps of limoncello-soaked strawberries. Decades of Sunday suppers, holiday meals, and get-it-done-fast weeknight dinners have perfected the flavors and techniques that represent the essence of Laura's Italy.

About the Author

Laura Vitale is the host of Laura in the Kitchen, a popular cooking channel on YouTube, and the author of the cookbook Laura in the Kitchen. She hosted two seasons of Simply Laura on the Cooking Channel and hosted Fox's MasterChef Season 4 Cook Alongs online. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, who produces her show, and their daughter.