“The Silver Spoon” (Phaidon Press, $39.95), first published in Italy in 1950 as “Il Cucchiaio d’argento,” this weighty tome (just over 5 pounds) is the first English translation.
Crammed with some 2,000 recipes and 200 color photographs, “Silver Spoon” is a triumph of authentic Italian cooking, with an encyclopedic range from abbacchio alla Romana (Roman spring lamb) to zampone (stuffed pig’s foot).
And crowded it is, with three or four recipes per page. The only way to achieve that is with terse directions, which suggests this book is for the accomplished cook. For example, the description for making fresh pasta takes only eight lines. No step-by-step, no hand-holding for the novice.
The book – which Italian magazine Domus compiled by hiring experts to gather recipes from throughout the country – has been updated over the years, “adapting the recipes and techniques to our modern lifestyle” but with an eye toward authenticity.
The authors say the book has been rewritten for an American audience. That may be so, but the marbled ring cake we tested was an over-dry disaster, making us suspect that something was lost in translation from metric to cup measurements. Also, we could do without some of the long, complicated recipes in the last section from “celebrated” chefs.
The exhaustive nature of this book is like opening a treasure chest and discovering an unending supply of jewels. Lovers of Italian cooking will find constant inspiration, such as pollo alle olive (chicken cooked with olives and wine, producing a vibrant sauce) or lasagne con melanzane e ricotta (lasagna layered with eggplant slices and rich ricotta).
– Joe Gray, Chicago Tribune
From “The Silver Spoon.”
Spaghetti Amatriciana
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Directions:
Brush a flameproof casserole with oil, add the pancetta and cook over low heat until the fat runs. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and chile, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for about 40 minutes, adding a little warm water if necessary. Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted, boiling water until al dente, then drain and toss with the sauce in a warm serving dish.
Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi
(Gnocchi Di Ricotta E Spinaci)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Directions:
Wash the spinach (do not dry). Cook the spinach, in just the water clinging to the leaves after washing, for 5 minutes, then drain, squeezing out as much liquid as possible, chop finely and put in a bowl. Add the ricotta, half the Parmesan and the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into balls and dust lightly with flour. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil, add the gnocchi, a few at a time, and remove with a slotted spoon as they rise to the surface. Place the gnocchi on a warm serving dish, pour the melted butter over them and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. You could also serve them with a light Béchamel Sauce.
Marinata Aromatica
Herb Marinade (for chicken breasts)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cover with the onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaves and garlic. Combine the olive oil and lemon juice and pour over the meat. Marinate in a cool place for about 2 hours before grilling.
