Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own.
This absolutely packed cookbook by Christopher Kimball and J.M. Hirsch just published on April 15, and it’s fresh in more ways than that. You get a hint from the name, Backroads Italy, that you’re about to see a different side of the country's cuisine. This has been attempted by many, and why not? Italian food is usually easy to make, delicious, and relatively reliable to duplicate across regions. What this cookbook does differently is give you a host of dishes you probably aren’t familiar with (I wasn’t), and truly helpful tips at every turn.
It’s important to mention that these “new” methods aren’t actually new—they’ve been in use for generations. But they’re finally making their way to us from different regions in Italy—from Italian chefs that Kimball and Hirsch cooked with and learned from—occasionally with an adjustment in favor of science, or a spin on technique for the sake of ease in the American kitchen.
A great cookbook for a different look at Italian food
I especially enjoyed reading about No-Fry Neapolitan Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana di Melanzane), classic polenta, and the Milanese technique for quick-cooking risotto. Each dish traditionally has an annoying but supposedly written in stone, must-do step. For example, the eggplant must be breaded in a coating of egg and bread crumbs. For polenta, it’s consistent stirring and boosting it with lots of cheese and butter. For risotto, much of the same slow and consistent stirring while slowly ladling in chicken broth. Well Milk Street Backroads Italy showed me that not only can you ditch the annoying steps, but the meal might actually be better for it.
I love the idea of making a soup that’s jam-packed with herbs instead of meat, swapping spaghetti with chickpeas for my vongole, or giving tomatoes a break and dousing rigatoni with a bright green broccoli sauce. Don’t get me wrong: There are familiar pasta dishes, risotto, focaccia, and pizza galore in this book. Just be open to the twists and turns on these backroads. You’ll be happy you did.
The dish I made this week
Credit: Allie Chanthorn ReinmannEssentially, the sauce is made from the often-jettisoned broccoli stem with some key flavoring ingredients added. They all get blended into a furiously jade-hued sauce and tossed with the cooked rigatoni and blanched broccoli florets. It's a simple recipe, made even less busy by using a single pot of boiling water for all of the work. I appreciated not having multiple pots and pans going at once (and not having to clean them all later).
Credit: Allie Chanthorn ReinmannWhere to buy the book
You can get 36% off if you buy the hardcover of Milk Street Backroads Italy from Milk Street’s online store, compared to the hardcover at other online retailers. But consider the more subtle ebook for an even lower price. Extra imaginary points from me if you solicit your local real-life bookstore too.
Milk Street Backroads Italy: Finding Italy's Forgotten Recipes (A Cookbook) $19.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $19.99 at AmazonHence then, the article about milk street backroads italy makes italian food new again was published today ( ) and is available on Live Hacker ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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