• martylynh on July 20, 2011

  Great compendium of recipes -easy to follow and covers about everything

• Breadcrumbs on May 29, 2011

  This book is a recent addition to my collection and I've been very impressed w what I've seen of this book thus far. The book covers a wide array of regional dishes and the Tuscan recipes are impressive in their authenticity and scope. I'm a fan of Michele Scicolone an would highly recommend her "The Antipasto Table" book...wonderful!

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Gorgonzola and hazelnut dressing (Salsa di Gorgonzola e nocciole)

  • Gio on April 15, 2016

    Pg 58. On the whole we liked this dressing very much and would make it again. It was a trifle too oily for me, however that's easy to fix. Used it on a salad of mixed cabbages and carrot strips. Paired quite well.

• Pasta and beans (Pasta e fagioli)

  • Gio on March 23, 2016

    Pg. 64. I loved the finished dish this recipe produced, my husband was ambivalent. However, I think it was because, as stated in the head notes, it is "very thick" but still requiring a spoon. He prefers pasta e fagioli to be more soupy. I halved the recipe, and used home cooked Jacob's cattle beans but otherwise followed the recipe. It is very filling so be advised.

• Mushroom and potato soup (Minestra di funghi e patate)

  • Gio on October 10, 2015

    Pg. 74. A superb soup for cooler weather. Rich, full of flavor, hearty, nourishing. A delight. We grated Pecorino Romano over top each serving. On the rotation from now until Spring.

• Tuscan meat sauce (Ragù alla Toscana)

  • Breadcrumbs on May 29, 2011

    p.95 - First use of this recipe and cookbook and I have to say, I’m becoming a fast fan of Michele Scicolone’s recipes. She won me over w The Antipasto Table and I’ve been adding her books to my collection ever since. This recipe was wonderful. Though it calls for cubed beef chuck it only needs to simmer for 2 hours so it’s a quick ragu. The flavours in this sauce were terrific, it’s depth and richness would have you swearing it cooked much, much longer. I made no modifications what-so-ever and it was perfect as is. I’d definitely make this again and highly recommend this recipe. Served over whole-wheat rigatoni w some parmesan cheese and a fabulous Brunello. K – 9.5

• Rigatoni Rigoletto (Pasta al Rigoletto)

  • Breadcrumbs on August 21, 2011

    p. 147 - Fresh borlotti beans and basil were the inspiration for this dish from 1,000 Italian Recipes by the yet-to-disappoint Michele Scicolone. Evidently this pasta is named after Rigoletto from Verdi's opera as this dish originates in Mantua, the setting for this tale. Once your beans have cooked, this meal comes together in no time which was definitely a plus since we were quite hungry after a long day of errands. The tomato flavour in the sauce comes from mixing tomato paste w water and once this sauce simmers w the meat and other ingredients the sauce reduces, intensifying and homogenizing all the flavours. Though this cooked for such a short time, the deep flavours were reminiscent of a long simmering Tuscan ragu. Just a lovely meal where the finishing touch of chopped basil brightens the dish and reminds you its still SUMMER!!!!

• Linguine with clam sauce (Linguine alle vongole)

  • Gio on November 07, 2015

    Pg. 151. A recipe that comes close to that with which I grew up in my thoroughly Italian family. Through the years I learned that I like the inclusion of a splash of dry white wine and chopped parsley so I added them here. However, the recipe as written is a fine one.

• Broiled cod (Merluzzo alla griglia)

  • Gio on December 25, 2015

    Pg. 248. Zesty, quick, easy, delicious. We used day boat fresh Pollock from our CSF share. Beautiful fillet of fish enhanced by the red wine vinegar, garlic, and other ingredients. Broiling time was perfect for 1 1/2 lbs. Now in rotation.

• Chicken with vinegar, garlic, and hot pepper (Spezzatinedi pollo alla nonna)

  • Gio on February 19, 2016

    Pg. 296. The chicken was tender, juicy, chicken-y and not at all acidic, nor too spicy. All the intense flavors melded into a luscious unctuous sauce. We loved the finished dish immensely and now it's in our rotation.

• Chicken in the style of roast pig (Pollo alla porchetta)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 13, 2011

    p. 301 - Outstanding, without a doubt the best roast chicken we've ever had and yet another in what's becoming a long line of hits from Michele Scicolone. A paste of herbs, garlic and olive oil is made and rubbed under the skin and inside the cavity of the bird. My chicken was fresh from Clements and had become a little flat in the vacuum sealed bag so I put an apple inside to prop it up. The chicken is then rubbed w olive oil and I sprinkled w some additional herbs and salt. Meat was remarkably tender and tasted just like porchetta. Truly scrumptious. K-10. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/788929#6603133

• Steak with balsamic glaze (Bisteca al balsamico)

  • Breadcrumbs on September 08, 2012

    p. 320 This is another recipe from MS where just a few simple ingredients come together to produce a dish far greater than the sum of its parts. As always, the author advocates for the best possible quality of ingredients and that makes all the difference. I added some oregano to the marinade as we were serving this w a similarly seasoned eggplant dish. The sweet earthy flavour of the caramelized balsamic glaze on the meat made this an extra- special dish. So simple and perfect for a hectic weeknight. We’ll definitely make this again.

• Sausage and pepper skillet (Salsicce in padella)

  • Gio on May 27, 2016

    Pg 355. Quite a pleasant, quick dish for lunch or dinner widely known to all especially during Summer Festas. We used spicy Italian turkey sausages, 2 red bell peppers, included 2 minced garlic cloves, and sprinkled chopped parsley over top each serving.

• Sausages with lentils (Cotechino con lenticchie)

  • Gio on October 09, 2015

    Pg. 358. Second time making this recipe cooking for two people. Used Italian spicy pork sausages, diced fresh tomato, and 4 cups stock. Very tasty, spicy, well liked. Great for a cool evening's meal, with a fresh loaf of crusty Italian bread.

• Pork chops, Molise style (Pampanella sammartinese)

  • Gio on May 16, 2016

    Pg. 365. Halved the recipe and adjusted the other ingredients accordingly. Also, didn't marinate the full 24 hours, just about 2-ish hours. Nevertheless the chops were quite flavorful. Timing was excellent for the thickness of our chops - about 1 1/4 inch thick - cooked through but with a bit of pink in the center near the bone. Worth a revisit.

• Mushrooms with garlic and parsley (Funghi trifolati)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 13, 2011

    p. 436 - Simple and delicious. This dish is greater than the sum of its parts. I believe the sliced garlic makes all the difference here. I made the dish w mixed wild mushrooms from my market's 'shroom farm. Just perfect. I'd definitely make this again. I did need to deglaze the pan w a splash of red wine which added to the flavour but could also use a non-stick pan next time to avoid any sticking.

• Peas with onions (Piselli con cipolle)

  • sdeathe on July 29, 2022

    Very good; easy, and something a little different from regular boiled peas.