La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy by Italian Academy of Cuisine

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Notes about this book

  • robm on December 28, 2010

    An amazing compilation of home-cooking recipes from all regions of Italy! Invaluable in conjunction with some of the standard works, like Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and the Silver Spoon.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Veal stew (Umido alla Marchigiana)

    • nicolepellegrini on June 05, 2021

      I liked this. I used cubed veal stew meat instead of a whole or tied roast, so cut the cooking time a bit.

  • Cauliflower and olives (Cavolfiore alla Fanese)

    • nicolepellegrini on May 29, 2021

      This is good if you like sour, briny flavors (I do!) but maybe not quite as good as I was hoping. The leftovers became too strongly sour and bitter, so only make as much as you need for one meal.

  • Pasta with broccoli 2 (Pasta con i broccoli 2)

    • nicolepellegrini on July 24, 2021

      Strong flavored, pretty good. Maybe not my favorite recipe for broccoli and pasta.

  • Swordfish with capers (Pesce spada di bagnara)

    • Arrivaderla on March 03, 2012

      Creates a lovely sauce that also keeps the swordfish moist.

  • Rabbit in red wine (Coniglio al vino rosso)

    • MissQuin on May 20, 2013

      I found this had to be cooked for about 2 hours before it became tender-ish. At the 1 hour point it was very tough and dry. By 2 it was much better - though don't expect it to be falling off the bone like other fattier cuts of meat.

  • Risotto with shrimp and asparagus (Risotto di scampi agli asparagi)

    • thekitchenchronicles on July 25, 2017

      This has become my favorite risotto recipe. It's a little involved (it has you make your own broth from the shrimp shells and puree the asparagus stalks) but it's totally worth the effort for the layers of flavor it creates. Wrote it up here: http://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2017/05/25/risotto-with-shrimp-and-asparagus/

  • Risotto with sausage and cauliflower (Risotto con salsiccia e cavolfiore)

    • Agaillard on May 12, 2016

      Average - a classic and good risotto, but with nothing special. I could not really feel the cauliflower but it was still a nice way to eat leftover cauliflower. Maybe I should change it and choose a sausage with more kick?

  • Venison in sauce (Capriolo in salmi)

    • Agaillard on January 03, 2016

      Really nice. I used deer and did not have leftover meat (just added a little of ground ham instead), which did not make a difference. What is really striking about this recipe is the flavourings of the marinade, which complement exactly venison meat, almost marrying it.

  • Chicory galette (Glië zeppolone)

    • Agaillard on October 29, 2017

      I have to say I am impressed. I ran into this recipe while looking how to use up chicory past their prime (so cooked), and when I read the actual instructions I was a bit in disbelief. Really? I had never cooked polenta like this, I thought it was strange to just throw it in the pan like that. Also while doing it, it just looked as though it would never mold into a cake, I thought I was making a mess of it. But no. I persevered and the miracle happened. Tada! A polenta crusty vegetable galette. I used chopped chicory and green beans (i.e. haricots verts, long). I followed the recipe to the letter, except, I put the garlic, herbs, chilies to cook for a couple of minutes before adding back the greens. Will definitely make again.

  • Braised turnips (Rape strascinate)

    • Agaillard on March 18, 2021

      It was quite a pleasant way for a side of turnips with a bite... Strangely enough, I found that the pan cooking as suggested was quicker than with the pressure cooker (which somehow doesn't sound right but I think is). I served with a thick mountain smoked ham and a salad as a light lunch.

  • Valdostan apple cake (Dolce di mele renette alla Valdostana)

    • Agaillard on February 02, 2020

      Very strange recipe to begin with, that I tried out of curiosity and to use up some overcooked muffins and apples. The egg milk mix is way too milky and the cake does not hold, even after cooking it way longer than said. I will eat as a pudding maybe but will not make again and find another way to use up stale cake :)

  • Vegetable soup (Zuppa di ortaggi)

    • Agaillard on June 18, 2016

      This recipe is page 201

    • Agaillard on June 18, 2016

      Simple and hearty, really invigorating. A bit original as well with the egg drops. I did it with a bit of stock rather than just salted water.

  • Radicchio crepes (Crespelle al radicchio)

    • Agaillard on January 09, 2016

      This is seriously good. The bechamel with the added parmesan combines perfectly with the radicchios and especially the garlic. I could have eaten it just by itself off the pan (and I did). I somehow forgot the white wine, and I think it would probably have made it even better, if possible. The crepes were thicker than I expected, but then again I had to second guess ingrédients as I only had metric or British measuring cups, which are slightly different from American ones.

  • Rice and egg soup (Minestra all'uovo)

    • Agaillard on March 16, 2016

      I liked the idea at first, quite original, but the result was quite plain. I added some stock, a dash of white wine and plenty of thyme for the second serving. . Much better!

  • Fava, broccoli, and chicory soup (Zuppa dei "Trappetari")

    • Agaillard on May 20, 2017

      p191of the book. This looked like a very strange way of making soup, but I was feeling curious and went along with it. Nevertheless while cooking, I found it bland so upped the game a little adding a chicken Knorr cube to the fava and tomatoes, rubbing the stale bread with garlic, and adding grated cheddar on top in the end. That turned the blandness into pure comfort and was really nice + my dose of vegs and vitamin for the day definitely.

  • Peasant soup (Cialda)

    • Agaillard on December 06, 2021

      I wasn't sure whether to mark this 3 or 4... It was simple and good, but bland and added some real stock - but... I am sick and this was the only thing I ate all day, so it was scrumptious... I served with sliced apples on the side, topped with fresh goat cheese with different spices on it, which was nice (spur of the moment idea and sudden apple craving).. Anyway, it looks nice and is a good sickness dish.

  • Pasta with broccoli 1 (Pasta con i broccoli 1)

    • Peeko44 on April 18, 2018

      Page 301

  • Chicken and ricotta croquettes (Crocchette di pollo e ricotta)

    • Always4duke on October 18, 2020

      I used store bought rotisserie chicken and shredded for this recipe. Easy and delicious - if you want a little zip add some Cajun seasoning.

    • Always4duke on October 18, 2020

      Used rotisserie chicken shredded. Fast, easy and delicious. I would add some red pepper flakes next time for a zip.

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  • ISBN 10 0847831477
  • ISBN 13 9780847831470
  • Published Oct 01 2009
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 948
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Rizzoli International Publications
  • Imprint Rizzoli International Publications

Publishers Text

Fifty years ago, a group of Italian scholars gathered to discuss a problem: how to preserve traditional Italian cooking. They formed the Italian Academy of Cuisine to document classic recipes from every region. The academy's more than seven thousand associates spread out to villages everywhere, interviewing grandmothers and farmers at their stoves, transcribing their recipes - many of which had never been documented before. This is the culmination of that research, an astounding feat--2,000 recipes that represent the patrimony of Italian country cooking. Each recipe is labeled with its region of origin, and it's not just the ingredients but also the techniques that change with the geography. Sprinkled throughout are historical recipes that provide fascinating views into the folk culture of the past. There are no fancy flourishes here, and no shortcuts; this is true salt-of-the-earth cooking. The book is an excellent everyday source for easily achievable recipes, with such simple dishes as White Bean and Escarole Soup, Polenta with Tomato Sauce, and Chicken with Lemon and Capers. For ease of use there are four different indexes. La Cucina is an essential reference for every cook's library.