Cookbook: The Southern Italian Table—Authentic Tastes from Traditional Kitchens

the appetizer:

The Southern Italian Table by Arthur Schwartz, includes recipes like Lobster Broth with Broken Spaghetti, Broda di Aragosto can Spaghetti Ruoti; Sautéed Peppers with Olives and Capers, Peperoni Saltate con Olive e Capperi; and Grilled Pancetta or Pork on Spring Onions, Stigghiole di Pancetta.

Cookbook

The Southern Italian Table
Authentic Tastes from Traditional Kitchens

by Arthur Schwartz

Click to buy The Southern Italian Table

Picture the best Italian food you've ever eaten: pasta cooked to a flawless al dente finish; hand~rolled meatballs flecked with parsley, chopped garlic, raisins, and pine nuts; the crisp golden crust of fried eggplant; sauces of sweet handcrushed tomatoes and basil. These are the comfort foods that have come to define the best of Italian home-cooking—and all hail from the same place: Southern Italy. For over a decade, award-winning cookbook author Arthur Schwartz has immersed himself in the kitchens of Southern Italy; with local chefs and new friends alike, sampling its best foods and learning the secrets of authentic Italian cuisine.

In The Southern Italian Table: Authentic Tastes from Traditional Kitchens, Schwartz takes American home cooks along for his incredible journey, down country roads and city streets, savoring the flavors of Italy and its culinary history. In Naples, we learn the trick to preparing thick spaghetti in a sauce with an array of unexpected ingredients that everyone has in their pantry. In Sicily, Shrimp and Pistachio Risotto is given an exotic kick with a pinch of curry powder, and in Sorrento, a marmalade tart is topped with a layer of amaretti cookies and a slurry of finely ground almonds and egg before being baked. More than just a cookbook, this is a culinary trip through the six regions of Southern Italy, with Schwartz as our guide.

The authentic dishes brought to life for the American home cook in The Southern Italian Table include:

Sauté of Clams or Mussels

Macaroni with Zucchini and Ricotta

Lobster Broth with Broken Spaghetti

Mamma Agata's Lemon Risotto

Salt-Seared Swordfish with Garlic and Mint

Ragus from Sicily, Bari, and Naples

Aunt Delia's Date-Nut Cake

Sausage with Broccoli Rabe

There is truly a dish for every occasion, and the recipes are easily accomplished by cooks of all levels. Each recipe is packed with fresh flavor, and the book features gorgeous full-color photographs throughout by award-winning food photographer Alan Richardson, which only add to the desire to dive right in and start living la vita italiana. The Southern Italian Table is as much a celebration of Italian food as it is a celebration of its culture, and it highlights the very best that Italy has to offer. For every recipe, there is an accompanying story of how each is prepared and enjoyed—at a leisurely pace, and always with the trademark soul and care that has made Italian cuisine one of the most beloved styles of cooking throughout the world.

The Southern Italian Table is the definitive guide to the traditional flavors of Southern Italy and is sure to be a much-loved favorite in American kitchens for years to come.

About the Author

During his 18 years as the New York Daily News' restaurant critic and food editor and his 13 years as the host of Food Talk, a popular New York City-based, nationally syndicated radio show, Arthur Schwartz became widely known as "The Schwartz Who Ate New York." He has written five award-winning cookbooks, including Arthur Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking, the 2009 IACP American Cookbook of the Year, and Naples at Table, which has been heralded as the definitive resource on Neapolitan cooking. Schwartz has owned and operated his own cooking school in Southern Italy since 2001.