I don't think I'll ever find myself asking "What should I do with this pasta?" after tackling this cookbook, which truly lives up to its title as The Encyclopedia of Pasta. I'll admit, as much as I love food and the history of food, I often found myself wondering if we really needed all these different types of pasta. I know, my Sicilian Nonna is rolling over in her grave, I'm a very bad great granddaughter. But hey, I remedied it through the help of this hefty and helpful book.

One of my biggest struggles when cooking with pasta is how to appropriately pair the various shapes and dough formats with the different types of proteins and sauces. This book will be helpful to fall back on when I'm unsure, and to create a foundation for any new recipes I try.

I am glad that this book doesn't position itself as exclusively Italian, as many people mistakenly believe Italy and not China was the inventor of pasta. This has pasta and noodles from all over the world, so that was a surprising and welcome change in a lot of the writing I see in most cookbooks about pasta.

The encyclopedia of pasta focuses on everything to make the perfect pasta. From making the noodles to the perfect sauce. There are classic Italian sauces to less well known recipes from other cultures.

The Sections are
doughs and formats
dishes
soups
over the top: sauces and perfect partners

Each recipe has yields, active time, total time, ingredients, and directions. I personally wish there were more pictures to see the finished creations. It especially would have been helpful for the dough sections and seeing a visualization of hope to shape the pasta. The cookbook is very comprehensive and will likely have something for everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Pasta by The Coastal Kitchen

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing The Encyclopedia of Pasta by The Coastal Kitchen, and it's quite the culinary adventure! The instant I spotted the cover, I was drawn in by its stunning design. This book is like a passport to pasta heaven, showcasing around 350 recipes that span from classic Italian favorites to delicious dishes from other parts of the world.

A Treasure Trove of Recipes

What really stands out to me is how comprehensive this cookbook is. Whether you’re a newbie trying your hand at Spaghetti Bolognese or a seasoned chef looking to tackle more intricate options, there’s something for everyone. You’ll find everything from creamy Carbonara to a simple yet satisfying Aglio e Olio. The structure is user-friendly, with clear and concise instructions that guide you through each recipe, making the cooking process feel almost effortless.

I particularly appreciated the informative section at the beginning that dives into pasta ingredients and the art of making fresh pasta. It’s like a mini pasta school right in your kitchen! Plus, the book thoughtfully covers not just pasta dishes but also soups and sauces, giving you the tools to create an entire meal.

Eye-Candy Photography

Now, let’s talk about the visuals. The full-color photography is stunning and truly inspires you to get cooking. However, I do wish there were a few more photos of the finished dishes throughout the book. Sometimes it’s nice to see what your culinary creation could look like!

I also loved that this book includes a mix of old favorites and exciting new recipes. It feels like a delightful blend of nostalgia and discovery, which keeps things fresh and interesting in the kitchen. And don’t even get me started on the appendix! Having stock recipes and other handy tips included is such a bonus.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Encyclopedia of Pasta is an impressive collection that captures the heart and soul of pasta cooking. I’ve already marked several recipes I can’t wait to try, and I’m excited to dive into the world of handmade pasta. If you love putting delicious food on the table—especially pasta—this book deserves a spot on your shelf. I’d give it four stars for its extensive coverage, beautiful presentation, and practicality in the kitchen. So grab a fork and get ready to twirl your way into some pasta magic! 🍝

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

The book has a ton of recipes, and I would rate it higher for content alone. The reason for my rating is that this cookbook as is would be extremely difficult for most cooks to use, in my opinion. Recipes are in sections - Doughs & Formats, Dishes, Soups, Over the Top: Sauces & Perfect Partners, and Appendix.
While the Doughs & Formats section had tons of great recipes for all kinds of pasta, the book overall was poorly organized and very lacking in photos. For many types of pastas and dishes I am unfamiliar with, I would love to have seen a photo. Some of the pasta types require specific shapes or rolling techniques or something, and none were shown.
The recipes did not have any intros or explanations of the dish, so unless the title was familiar, you might not know exactly what you are making. Italian, multiple Asian countries, and possibly other countries of origin of recipes are all mixed in together, as are ingredients. Wanting to look for a dish that was vegetarian or had fish, you would have to go through the whole section and then read recipes for ingredients. Some simple reordering and subsections could be extremely helpful.

This book is a treasure for pasta lovers! It covers everything from basic to unique pasta varieties, making it exciting to explore new recipes whenever the mood strikes. The first section teaches how to make pastas like gnocchi and udon, then transitions into hundreds of delicious recipes from different cultures. The recipes are simple, easy to follow, and accessible for any skill level, with vibrant photos that make me want to cook right away. My only gripe is the lack of photos of finished dishes, but that’s a minor issue compared to the wealth of content. Perfect for anyone who loves making pasta from scratch and wants to try new varieties, this book is full of fun, easy projects that don’t require fancy tools, making it ideal for beginners or anyone looking for a fresh pasta adventure. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to add some pasta magic to their kitchen!

A huge shoutout to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the chance to read this ARC!

The Encyclopedia of Pasta is a massive collection of pasta-based dishes. From classic Italian dishes to noodles predominant in Asian recipes, this includes a varying range of recipes.

I loved this beautiful book all about pasta - it was so much more than just a cookbook and I would highly recommend to any foodies!

I love pasta and will be using this cookbook many times! I enjoyed finding new recipes I can use in the future!

This is a very impressive cookbook. Not only are there delicious recipes for dinners, soups and sauces but there is an entire section that teaches you how to make your own pasta and noodles. I wish there were more pictures with the recipes but other than that this is a very comprehensive cookbook. I thank Netgalley and The Coastal Kitchen for the opportunity to read and review this cookbook.

Pasta lovers, rejoice! "The Encyclopedia of Pasta" by The Coastal Kitchen provides a comprehensive guide to the world of this beloved food. With over 100 pasta shapes and recipes, it certainly offers a wide variety. However, a few quirks keep it from being a definitive pasta bible.

**What I Liked:**

- **Extensive Pasta Profiles:** The book delves deep into the different types of pasta, offering details on their history, regional variations, and ideal sauce pairings. You'll discover shapes you've never heard of before and gain a newfound appreciation for the diversity of pasta.

- **Beautiful Photography:** The visuals are appealing, showcasing the pasta shapes and finished dishes in a way that makes you want to head straight to the kitchen.

- **Variety of Recipes:** From simple weeknight meals to more elaborate dishes, there's a good range of recipes to explore.

**What Could Be Improved:**

- **Conversion to Ounces:** While I appreciate the effort to cater to different measurement systems, the insistence on converting gram measurements to ounces is perplexing. Pasta is traditionally measured in grams, and these conversions often result in awkward fractions that can complicate cooking unnecessarily.

- **Recipe Clarity:** Some recipes lack precision in their instructions, which could be challenging for novice cooks.

- **Organization:** The book is organized alphabetically, but a section categorizing pasta by shape families or cooking times would be more helpful.

**Overall:**

"The Encyclopedia of Pasta" is a valuable resource for pasta enthusiasts, offering a wealth of information and inspiration. However, the odd insistence on ounce conversions and occasional lack of clarity in the recipes prevent it from being a truly outstanding cookbook.

**Recommendation:** If you're passionate about pasta and want to expand your knowledge and repertoire, this book is worth considering. Just be prepared to do some mental math with the measurements and don't hesitate to improvise with the recipes.

All the pasta...

This is an exceptional cookbook. It truly is the encyclopedia of pasta.
I knew quite a few of the pastas but there were still a number I was unfamiliar with.
All the noodles, a number Asian noodles and dishes, all the pasta and tons of recipes and even soups.
If you had to have one book to start your cookbook library, this would be an excellent choice.
Ten stars.
Highly recommend.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. I liked the sprawling review of many different shapes, but there were ample opportunities for more diagrams and explanation to help the reader understand the mechanics much better than the short descriptions. Also would have strongly preferred measurements were by weight!

There are definitely recipes I'm going to try in this book but the sheer amount of text is intimidating. I wish there were more pictures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for this Advanced Reader Copy!!

While filled to the brim with recipes and lots of information, the page length and density of text makes it kind of intimidating. Additionally, the lack of descriptions for recipes and inauthentic feeling photos make it lack the homey vibe I personally like my cookbooks to have. Overall, this is obviously a well-compiled book. It just felt a bit too robotic to me.

Let’s get one thing straight: I simply adore pasta and pasta recipes. For a pasta nerd like me, who gets fussy about the quality of the dough, this was right up my alley. Fresh is best and although I may never actually get around to make each and every type, there were so many to discover. It was great learning the process of making the pasta, and then the complete dishes, sauces and soups that pair best. I would have appreciated more pictures as there were many shapes and dishes to keep track of; this definitely felt more like an encyclopaedia rather than a regular cookbook because of that. There’s a recipe for everyone, but it is an overwhelming amount of information to take in at first.

Thank you to Cider Mill Press and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Who would have ever known there were so many types of pasta in the world. This cookbook was a real learning experience for me and I enjoyed finding out the differences of all the different types of pasta. There are so many recipes to try and they al sound so good that it will take me forever to try them all.

But I will try and I have to say I enjoyed this cookbook but I do wish there were a few more photos so I could get an idea of the pasta shapes and sizes and how they should look. But overall it is still a great book with plenty of recipes to be made and experimented with. It is certainly what I would call an Encyclopaedia and a great book of reference.

Thank you NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The title says it all. This is a prolific book about pasta in all its incarnations. From making pasta from scratch to a litany of recipes that include entree dishes, sauces and soups. I did make one pasta (orrichetti) and it was a fun process and delicious, but imagine I will only do make it for special occasions. A lot of good fresh pasta available. I have made a few various recipes and all have been easy to follow and delicious. There is a broad spectrum of main courses, soups and sauces. This would be a nice book for all level of cooks. I enjoyed it and have quite a few more earmarked to try out.

I was able to try quite a few of these pasta recipes for a party I went to over the weekend, and I can confirm that they are delicious! Plus, I actually did learn quite a bit about pairings between sauces and toppings, different shapes or styles and other things I never knew about one of my favorite types of food! Definitely pick this up and try some of these recipes - you won't regret it!

The Encyclopedia of Pasta is set to be published on November 19, 2024. Thank you to Cider Mill Press, NetGalley and the author for the digital advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is a very impressive collection of from-scratch noodle recipes from all over the world - by this I mean both base ingredient and dishes.
We start with literally 100 pages of how to make anything from tagliatelle, to gnocchi, gnudi, udon, spaetzle, Chinese egg noodles and anything you can think of.
Then we get hundreds of recipes using those various noodles in dishes from Italie to North Africa, Vietnam and so many more places. Most are simple and perfect for the home cook.
It is really an impressive collection, but sadly there is barely any photos of finished dishes, and since this is what I usually base myself on for cooking, I know this isn't a book for me. Which explains the lower rating despite the quality of the content.
It will appeal to people who enjoy making pasta from scratch and want to expand their knowledge and try less well-known types. There is quite a few fun projects that don't require special material too, which is always nice when starting out, or as a holiday project far from home when you finally have a little time to yourself.

I am a lover of all things pasta, so as you can imagine this was such a fun read! The variety of recipes and options was endless and I can’t wait to cook my way through this cook book. I have yet to make my own pasta because it seems daunting, but I feel the recipes and tips provided will make it a breeze!