Book Description Review “America’s Test Kitchen diligently digs into red-sauce favorites in this fun and flavorful collection. Suitably for the homey cuisine, many recipes are simple—meatball subs are assembled on store-bought rolls, possibly using jarred tomato sauce, and a helpful sidebar offers tips for selecting the best sauce available…This is an exercise in nostalgia, but a successful one.” — Publisher’s Weekly Read more About the Author America’s Test Kitchen is well-known for its top-rated television shows with more than 4 million weekly public television viewers, bestselling cookbooks, magazines, websites, and cooking school. The highly reputable and recognizable brands of America’s Test Kitchen, Cook’s Illustrated, and Cook’s Country are the work of over 60 passionate chefs based in Boston, Massachusetts, who put ingredients, cookware, equipment, and recipes through objective, rigorous testing to identify the very best. Discover, learn, and expand your cooking repertoire with Julia Collin Davison, Bridget Lancaster, Jack Bishop, Dan Souza, Lisa McManus, Tucker Shaw, Bryan Roof, and our fabulous team of test cooks! Read more Customers Review: I love America’s Test Kitchen and own no less than a dozen of their books – which is sort of the problem. These folks like to do lather, rinse,repeat. From the minute I got the book I realized there were recipes of theirs that have appeared all over the place from television to issues of their magazine to other books I’ve already purchased. It’s true that a lot of the Italian-American goodies are not all in one volume, but I feel like I bought something I already have – just not collected.On a personal note, I also like Jack Bishop but to say in the book he has “red sauce running through his veins” – I also am part Italian and Jack doesn’t even pronounce the names of Italian foods like “bruschetta” and “ricotta” correctly!
This is a wonderful Italian cookbook. It contains a wide range of recipes, including some that I have not made before. As with all ATK books the recipes are easy to follow and well laid out. However, unlike most ATK books it does not clearly state how long to complete the recipe. Another disappointment was that I really wanted a recipe to make cannoli. I looked at the table of contents on line before purchasing and cannoli was listed. However, when I received the book I realized it has a recipe for the filling but relies on store bought shells which are not available in my area.
I have been looking for a pizza recipe close to Vito and Nick’s delicious signature cracker crust pizza in Chicago. We’ve left the state of IL and the pizza where we live just does not cut it. I was overjoyed to find the Vito and Nick’s pizza recipe in this book! I made the pizza recipe the day the book arrived and my family agrees that life just got better in the northwoods because we can now enjoy Vito and Nick’s Pizza! Can’t wait to try more recipes from this wonderful cook book!
Disappointed, not up to ATK usual standards. I expected better. Italian books-better stick with Lidia B. Or Hazan.
Lots of great recipes – soon to be a family favorite.
These are recipes from Americas Test Kitchen. They are tried and true. When I see Americas Test Kitchen, Cooks Illustrated, Cooks Country, I KNOW the recipes are solid. These are the sources you turn to when you want to learn to cook, learn about why ingredients, tools, and techniques work. I didn’t realize I was getting an ATK cookbook until it was in my hand and flipping through it. Pleasant surprise! This cook book is “Big Flavors from Italian America; Family Style Favorites from Coast to Coast”. As implied the recipes are American Italian with regional differences.The book starts off with a welcome page and introduction to the information ahead, what Italian fare means to us, how it has influenced us, and how each nook of America has its own Italian inspired appreciation. The remainder of the book is divided into recipe category chapters.Each recipe:-super important to me.. HAS A PICTURE! One full color picture on one page, recipe on opposite.-Has a paragraph on “WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS”. If you are looking to be informed om what you are about to put your time, money and ingredients into.. then read it through, or simply skip to the ingredient list and instructions. It is visually organized, so the little blurb isn’t cluttering anything up. It is helpful, not space wasting fluff.-States how many it serves. The nutritional information is not listed along side the recipe, but in its own section at back of book.-some recipes make suggested brand recommendations.-occasionally through book there is an “on the road” blurb to provide color, history, interest behind the food of the given region that is being explored.I like that I learned some new names for things I didn’t know much about, I learned the proper names of things I have made in the past, I have encountered recipes I definitely want to make in the future, and I have been pleased with the ones I have made thus far (all pasta based or pizza based so far). I am not a fan of Italian desserts, so I will likely bypass those recipes. Most everything else is up my ally. Ok, I am really here for the pizza recipes. Mmm!When it comes to rating a cook book, I ultimately decide if it is worthwhile if it has good, relevant pictures. Unless I knew exactly what I was making and generally how it looked, I would simply pass by a recipe book that didn’t have pictures. I want to be inspired. I am a visual person, seeing pics of food gives me idea if I want to try making it or not. So if you are like me, you will be pleased that this book has a picture for every single recipe. Secondly, I look for organization- can I follow along without having to take notes and rewrite it to make sense? This recipe book is well worded. It teaches and provides straight forward information. The recipes can be reproduced. As for whether I like the selection is not part of the rating as it is purely subjective. Though, overall I find that there are enough recipes of interest to me to want to add this to my collection. I know there are many I wont ever make, but definitely some go-to recipes are in here. I was pleased to see a basic staple, “meatballs” which was different enough from what I do to want to try them out. That was my first recipe, and I have made it twice since acquiring this book. The “WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS” is my favorite feature (after pics) about this book. Thanks, ATK!Here are the chapters and the recipes contained within each:–APPETIZERS AND SNACKS:Marinated OlivesMarinated Artichoke Hearts and Stuffed Picked Sweet PeppersCaponataProsciutto- wrapped Figs with GorgonzolaItalian StrawsRicotta Crostini with Cherry Tomatoes & BasilBruschetta (3 different toppings)Stuffed MushroomsFried AsparagusFried CalamariMozzarella Sticks–SANDWICHES, SOUPS, AND SALADSNew Orleans MuffulettaRoasted Eggplant and Mozzarella PaniniMeatball SubsGRilled Sausage Subs with Bell Peppers and OnionsChicago Style Italian Beef SandwichesPhiladelphia Pork SandwichesIron Range Porketta SandwichesHearty MinestronePittsburgh Wedding SoupWhite Bean SoupPasta e FagioliMonteray bay CioppinoUltimate Caesar SaladSimple Tomato SaladMarinated Antipasto SaladItalian Pasta SaladPanzanellaWhite Bean Salad with Sauteed Squid and Pepperoncini–PIZZA AND MORENew York Thin Crust PizzaChicago Deep DishChicago Thin CrustNew England Bar pizzaSt Louis PizzaDetroit PizzaPhiladelphia Tomato PieSicilian Style PizzaThin Crust, whole wheat pizza with garlic oil, three cheeses and basilGrilled PizzaSpinach Ricotta CalzonesBroccoli Rabe and Salami Stromboli–PASTA NIGHTSpaghetti with fresh tomato saucePasta with Classic MarinaraPasta alla NormaPenne all VodkaTagliatelle with Weeknight BolognesePasta with Sausage RaguDrop MeatballsAglio e OilioFettuccini AlfredoSpaghetti CarbonaraPasta PrimaveraChicken RiggiesSpaghetti with Fresh ClamsShrimp Piccata Pasta–EASY WEEKDAY MEALSChicken MarsalaChicken FranceseChicken Scallopini with Mushrooms and PeppersScampi, chicken styleChicken parmBaked Ricotta ChickenChicken CacciatoreChicken VesuvioChicken ScarparielloRaos Lemon ChickenGrilled Chicken all DiavolaSteak PizzaiolaFlank Steak PeperonataSteak ModigaGrilled stuffed flank steakPork MilanesePork Chops with Vinegar PeppersOne pan sweet Italian Sausage with PolentaShrimp ScampiShrimp Fra Diavolo–SUNDAY SUPPERS AND CELEBRATIONSChicago style Italian Roast beefBracioleHearty Beef LasagnaHearty Italian Meat Sauce (Sunday Gravy)Pork RaguFluffy Baked Polenta w/ Red sauceBaked Manicotti with sausageBaked ZitiChicken, Broccoli, and Ziti casseroleStuffed shellsEggplant PecorinoLinguine ai Fruitti di MareSeafood Risotto–SIDES AND BREADSGarlicky BroccoliniGrilled Broccolini with Lemon and ParmSweet and Sour Broccoli RabeUtica GreensSauteed KalePittsburgh Beans and GreensBraised Green BeansGrilled Artichoke with lemon butterStuffed tomatoesCrispy Parmesan PotatoesReally good Garlic BreadParm breadsticksGarlic KnotsScali BreadProsciutto bread–DESSERTSTiramisuClassic Panna CottaIndividual Fresh Berry Gratins with ZabaglionePistachio CannoliChocolate Chip PanettoneItalian Almond CakePignoliItalian Anise CookiesSpumoni BarsItalian Rainbow cookiesFlorentine Lace cookiesChocolate SalamiLemon Ice (and other varieties)–NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION FOR EACH RECIPE–CONVERSIONS AND EQUIVALENTS–INDEX
I really enjoyed the recipes in this book. The first recipe I tried was the speghetti carbonara and it was delicious! I followed the recipe to a T and it was perfect. There are several other great ones in there like the meatballs and I’m anxious to try a couple of the soups. I wish there were more soup recipes as I’m only seeing 4.My problem with the book is the beginning of every recipe starts with 4-5 paragraph long section titled “Why It Works” which does nothing to explain why the recipe works. In all honesty the book could be cut in half if they would cut out these needless sections and get down to the brass tacks of the recipe. Readers want the recipe not a 4-5 paragraph rant about your search to find the perfect clove of garlic and local history- this is almost like those annoying online recipes sites where you have to scroll down a bunch junk to get to the recipe. Instead I would suggest having one or two pages at the beginning of each chapter with the history and thoughts. |
23 reviews