Italian Cooking for Beginners

Simple and Easy Recipes for Weeknights, Parties, Holidays, and More

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Apr 19 2022 | Archive Date May 19 2022

Talking about this book? Use #ItalianCookingforBeginners #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

Learn to cook authentic Italian food without all the fuss.

Always wanted to make a pesto that your family begs you to make every week? Tiramisu that your neighbors dream about? But you don’t have time for cooking classes or the lengthy and complicated recipes from other Italian cookbooks? Italian Cooking for Beginners, adapted from the best-selling Let’s Cook Italian!, gives you the tools and recipes to start cooking classic Italian dishes at home with simple, easy-to-follow recipes for even the most inexperienced home cook.

With an emphasis on fresh ingredients and hands-on preparation, chef and director of the cooking school “La Scuola della Cucina Italiana” Anna Prandoni presents recipes for authentic Italian starters, first and second courses, vegetables, desserts, and snacks. Simple classic recipes include:
 
  • Cheese Focaccia
  • Potato Gnocchi
  • Stuffed Zucchini
  • Steak Pizzaiola
  • Bruschetta
  • Tiramisu
  • Spaghetti Carbonara
  • and more!

This is the perfect cookbook for the both the beginning home cook and those inexperienced with authentic Italian cooking. Impress your family and friends and make them happy by satisfying their appetites with delicious Italian classics that will leave them wanting more.
Learn to cook authentic Italian food without all the fuss.

Always wanted to make a pesto that your family begs you to make every week? Tiramisu that your neighbors dream about? But you don’t have...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780760379547
PRICE $14.99 (USD)
PAGES 160

Average rating from 71 members


Featured Reviews

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a nice book!

There's both sweet and savory recipes in this book and some nice pictures of some of the recipes. There's approachable recipes for foods like gnocchi, tiramisu, and other Italian foods. The recipes are in metric, but also lists ounces and cups throughout.

It's not a super long book, but it is definitely a helpful cooking guide for beginners learning how to cook Italian food.

Was this review helpful?

This cookbook has beautiful photos and recipes made with wholesome ingredients and each recipe is presented as if on a recipe card, so familiar and easy to read. I plan to make the Saffron Risotto this week and the Tuscan Tomato Bread Soup reminded me of a dish my mom made when I was a child and now I need to make that! I do wish there had been more recipes included, but because this book has such inspiring photos and information about Italian cuisine and culture it could grace a coffee table.

Thank you Netgalley, Quart Publishing Group- Quarry, New Shoe Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This cookbook has a collection of our most loved Italian dishes, including Starters, First course, Vegetables, Second course, Desserts and Snacks. Every recipe has a photo, and they are all mouthwatering! Which makes you want to go try it right away! Some of the ones that I would love to make at home are: Pizza, Cheese Focaccia, Potato Gnocchi, Potato Croquettes, Meatballs in tomato sauce, Tiramisú and Bruschetta. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Was this review helpful?

This is a wonderful first book of Italian cooking, there are tasty recipes and stories to accompany them!
The authors' mother disliked cooking, but her daughter loved to cook, had grandmothers who cooked and she now has two ovens !
The recipes are divided into first and second courses, snacks, starters and desserts. There are degrees of difficulty in preparing the recipes, so read the directions carefully and have fun trying something new !
There is a recipe for cheese focaccia that uses fresh cheese, flour,
olive oil and sea salt that are made into a two sheets, filled with cheese and served for breakfast that looks delicious!
There is a simple pizza recipe that uses homemade pizza dough, fresh mozzarella balls and anchovies.
There are recipes that use veal, chicken, fish and beef, so you have a variety of meals to choose from. You can make your own gnocchi and pesto and there is a risotto recipe that is easy to follow and it uses a pinch of saffron for taste.
For dessert, there is a recipe for tiramisu that uses ladyfingers, coffee, rictta cheese, eggs, cookies and cocoa that looks scrumptious!

Was this review helpful?

Italian Cooking for Beginners is full of clear, easy to follow classic Italian recipes that are not just for beginners.

I was given a copy of Italian Cooking for Beginners by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a nice book to master some Italian simple dishes, and as an Italian, I can guarantee it. It's not a cookbook with a lot of recipes, but it has enough to satisfy everyone's taste. I already tried a couple ones, and they turned out pretty good.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely love Italian food, so when I saw the title of this book, I knew I needed to read it! Each recipe has clear, concise step by step instructions with accompanying photographs to guide you through. They don’t need too many ingredients, are easily achievable in your own kitchen, and there’s a wide variety to suit all tastes. This recipe book is simple, and delicious - what more could you want?

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry and Netgalley for an eARC of this book to read and review

Was this review helpful?

Easy Italian recipes, step by step directions, and beautiful photos. This book is a must for any beginner home cook.

Was this review helpful?

I love cooking and love learning new recipes, techniques and tips and hints for making my food better.
This for me is one of those books as I do cook some Italian but have not yet mastered things like pasta.

This book makes cooking Italian easy and accessible, using fresh, real ingredients and great recipes that are well set out. It gives you tips so you can adjust the recipes and great photos to compare your outcome with theirs.

This is a cookbook anyone, anywhere can use at it has both imperial and metric measurements, it has normal everyday ingredients and is written in a way that beginners and experienced cooks can easily follow.

Great recipes that I am now working my way through and I think I will be trying nearly every recipe in this wonderful book.

Was this review helpful?

This may sound so silly but the best part of this book was the fact that it didn't intimidate me by throwing a million different complicated recipes at me. It offered me the best building blocks for a beginner to Italian cuisine and I couldn't be happier! Instructions were great, photographs, personal anecdotes and information about the various regions in Italy.

I would totally recommend this book to my friends!

Was this review helpful?

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love love love Italian food. I have tried (and failed) authentic recipes. I have ordered a lot of more authentic and successful recioes from restaurants in lieu of me trying again. But no more! This cookbook breaks down some of those oh so tasty but daunting dishes and makes it seem like I can redeem myself. And the pictures are just so good. So tasty!

Was this review helpful?

I consider myself moderately familiar with cooking Italian food. I love beginner cookbooks because they definitely help simplify recipes when you're short on time (or short on ingredients), whether I've made the recipes or not.

This cookbook is great for beginners and the recipes are direct from the author's Italian family recipes, so you know you're getting authentic and tasty food. I've seen many Italian cookbooks because I love Italian food and they can be intimidating sometimes. This book was not intimidating at all. The recipes have simple, step-by-step instructions, and include time spent on the recipe and the level of difficulty.

Substitutions are notated at the bottom of the recipe for ingredients that are harder to find. All recipes are in Metric and Imperial measurements, so wherever you are, you can cook these recipes. I also loved the added touch of leaving blank, lined pages for the reader to add some of their own recipes.

In addition to the photos of Italian kitchens throughout the book, every recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous photo of the food. Everything looks delicious, to the point of me salivating. Since I love Italian food, I will definitely be making some of these recipes.

Overall, I think it's a great cookbook, even for those who don't consider themselves quite the beginner, like myself.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for providing an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A great cookbook with classic recipes. I would love to see the titles of the recipes in Italian, but appreciate the English translation. For the most part, the recipes are made with easy to find ingredients. If it calls for something special, alternatives are offered in case you don’t have a specialty store near by. Loved the food photography and little stories woven throughout. Didn’t care for the clipart.

Was this review helpful?

I love a good cookbook! Anna Prandoni did a good job of making the recipes easy to grasp ,taking pictures of the recipes and making us appreciate Italian food . I recommend this book to beginner cooks ,Italian food novice and just cookbook enthusiastic

I received a complimentary copy and opinions expressed are entirely my own

Was this review helpful?

A beautiful cookbook with gorgeous pictures of Italy as well as the foods the recipes make.

Table of contents includes: Starters, First Course, Vegetables, Second Course, Desserts, and Snacks. For each, she tells an interesting story about how the courses work in Italy. In addition, before each recipe, she explains the Italian tradition behind the recipe. At the end of the book, she includes menu ideas and blank recipe cards for you to write your own Italian recipes down for future generations. A clever idea and meaningful.

I made the Vermicelli with Tomato Sauce and it was a simple dish with subtle flavors. The instructions were easy to follow, and it took very little time to make the dish.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.

Was this review helpful?

When I’m not reading, (or working) the next place you’ll find me is the kitchen! For me, there’s nothing better than creating something that fills home with incredible smells and delicious tastes. Very calming as well!

One of my favorite culinary curiosities is Italian! So when I saw this I knew I had to get my hands on it.

It’s presented as Italian for beginners, but I may have actually underestimated my abilities. I found many of the recipes just a bit too simple for me. I had hoped for a bit more challenging, complex dishes. But hey…they did say beginners.

The photos were the headliner for me. Plentiful and mouth-watering. (Okay, drool-worthy!)

The instructions for each recipe were detailed and extremely easy to follow. Each labeled for difficulty as easy or medium so you can pick and choose according to your comfort level.

Listed from appetizers to main courses through to dessert. The author also includes menu ideas and an area at the back of the book where you can add your own Italian recipes. I thought that was an ingenious idea.

Looking forward to testing a few of these recipes for dishes that I’ve yet to conquer. First up, will the cheese focaccia bread. Quickly followed by potato gnocchi. These are two dishes I love but have never attempted to make myself… until now. Wish me luck!🤞

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry

Was this review helpful?

I am a massive fan of Italian food, but I tend to keep cooking the same dishes over and over. So when Italian Cooking for Beginners came up for review, I snapped up the chance to expand my cooking. There's a variety of new dishes to try within these pages, as well as mouth watering photography to tempt you. What I particularly enjoyed was the paragraph at the beginning of each recipe explaining the nature of the recipe and why it represents a certain region of Italy - for example, Genovese basil smelling like the sea.

The instructions for the recipes are clear though sometimes overly specific - why can the saffron risotto only be stirred clockwise? Also I wasn't overly comfortable with the recipes that feature Veal, given the cruelty associated with it, Veal is used often within the book..

The dessert section is amazing. I was tempted by each and every recipe. It's helpful to have the menu planner at the end of the book with ideas for lots of different types occasion.. There's space for you to record your own Italian recipes too.

Thanks to Anna Prandoni, Quarry publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I am quite picky about my cookbooks and I like to have a picture for every recipe because I don't just choose what to cook by recipe, I usually choose based on pictures. This one had pictures for every recipe and I loved it. I will definitely be making some of these wonderful dishes because they sound like they taste amazing! I love that there's also pages in the back to add some of your own recipes.

Was this review helpful?

A priceless collection of simple Italian recipes perfect for beginners. With all the information included, you should be well set up to enter this fascinating cooking style and enjoy the fruits of your labour. Recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Nice little cookbook for Italian cooking beginners. Pizza, and other various dishes with an easy to follow recipe. Great pictures and an ideal gift for people learning to cook.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC to read and I voluntarily left this review.

Was this review helpful?

Do you like Italian food? This is a cookbook that shows you the joy of cooking Italian food. There is an art to making the food look delicious and edible! I love Italian food so I was delighted to find this cookbook. At first I was hesitant to try making the recipes but I did. I loved what recipes I made. I must admit to choosing ones that at first were just a couple of appetizers, then a few main course and a dessert. It was fun for me to try and make Italian food. The recipes have illustrations of what the dish looks like. I forgot to mention that snacks recipes are included. They were good! I also made tiramisu — there were no leftovers! It’s great how the author made this a truly beginner’s cookbook. I am definitely buying it to join my very limited cookbook shelf. I can’t recommend how great this cookbook is!

Was this review helpful?

Every page was more delicious than the last! I enjoyed the format and the easy explanation of tools and other needed supplies. I can't wait to begin cooking, particularly the Spaghetti Carbonara.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I really like this cookbook, there aren’t too many recipes but the ones it’s got are classics. The pictures are good and helpful, and none of the recipes are too difficult.
I especially like the cheese stuffed focaccia and the chickpea fritters. There are menus that put together food for people who aren’t comfortable with that. All in all, a pretty and useful cookbook, 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

This is a great introduction to Italian cuisine! The recipes are simple yet delicious. You can try a wide variety of savory and sweet Italian foods.

Was this review helpful?

Bienvenu aux portes de l'Italie.

Des recettes des plus connu avec les régions.
Des envies de foccacia au tiramisu...

Un livre simple, d'une cuisine simple mais pleine de goût et de saveurs.

Quand on ne sait pas par quoi commencer, on ouvre simplement ce livre.

Was this review helpful?

A straightforward, if short, book dealing with tasty, fresh and basic Italian food. It covers starters, vegetables, first and second main courses, desserts and snacks. Measurements are in Imperial and Metric and each recipe is beautifully illustrated. Definitely a good one for beginners but also something for more experienced cooks - nothing wrong in going simple. Ingredients mostly easily found although veal is not that common in the UK. Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

For Italian Food Lovers
Writer and journalist Anna Prandoni presents her book "Italian Cooking for Beginners. Simple and Easy Recipes for Weeknights, Parties, Holidays, and More". It is one of the "... Cooking for Beginners" series, published by Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry (New Shoe Press). The book is divided into six sections: 1) Starters, First course, 3) Vegetables, 4) Second Course, 5) Deserts, and 6) Snacks. Prandoni clearly shows that Italian meals are more than just pizza or lasagne. She shows that a true Italian meal is composed of multiple courses. For her this book is her book of family recipes and her story. This can be seen in the introduction to the various sections. She included "tips for all future good home cooks who will want to challenge themselves with this exciting and endless passion—the great applied art that is cooking—while involving their kids as much as possible" (p. 12).
The book is presented with a great design. There are menus, an index, and space for own recipes. It is for the lovers of Italian food or those who are interested to gain more knowledge about it. It is simple and easy for beginners. I recommend it for readers who are interested in Italian recipes and for those who look for new inspirations.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#ItalianCookingForBeginners #Netgalley

Was this review helpful?

Short and sweet but very good recipe's clear instructions with lovely photos and space in the back to add your own recipie's.
I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley for a review.

Was this review helpful?

Italian Cooking for Beginners lives up to it's name. It has several recipes for anyone who wants to try their hand at Italian cooking. There are pictures for most of the recipes, which include things like pizza, tiramisu, Milanese Breaded Veal Chops and even Spaghetti Carbonara.

Was this review helpful?

This is a very nice small recipe book with many popular Italian dishes. I really liked that almost all recipes had pictures. This would make a great wedding gift.

Was this review helpful?

Almost everyone loves Italian food, and many Italian dishes are easy to cook. Beginning cooks who want to learn some easy Italian dishes will want to pick up Anna Prandoni’s Italian Cooking for Beginners: Simple and Easy Recipes for Weeknights, Parties, Holidays, and More. While this cookbook has a limited number of recipes, most are fairly easy and perfect for beginners. There are starters, snacks, main dishes, sides, and desserts to choose from, and most are very appealing. Many of the main dishes call for veal, which is not as easy to get in most grocery stores, and is also expensive when you can find it; in this case, it may be necessary to substitute some good cuts of beef. Most of the dishes are accompanied by beautiful photographs, but the photos aren’t always of the actual finished dishes; rather they are of ingredients or Italian places. Most cooks, especially beginners would rather see what their finished dishes should look like rather than see a few slices of fresh mozzarella with a few tomatoes or other Italian ingredients.

All told, this cookbook is well-written, and the recipes are easy-to-follow. The cookbook includes a few classic Italian dishes such as Spaghetti Carbonara, Saltimbocca alla Romana, and Tiramisu, but most are not well-known in US households. That is not to say that they aren’t mouthwatering, however, and there are several recipes that will become family favorites. Most of the dishes are suitable for serving both family and friends on any occasion, and some are even good to take to a pot luck dinner.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

I am loving this book, the recipes are ones I’ve been wanting to make. I enjoy flipping through the pages, lots of photos and the recipes offer easy to find ingredients. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted copy.

Was this review helpful?

I think its good. Any adventurous person out there could make these and wow some guests. I will say the netgalley of this was very hard to navigate so I will recc you buy this hardback so the pages dont change mid recipe!

Was this review helpful?

A great resource for any cook looking to try more Italian recipes, from beginner to expert! I loved the photos and the stories. The recipes are written clearly and easy to follow. I enjoyed this one and will be adding it to my rotation!

Was this review helpful?

When most people think Italian cuisine they immediately go to pasta and pizza. Italian Cooking for Beginners goes a little farther than that. While a good portion of the book does focus on pasta, Prandoni has included a decent size meat section. There is a small vegetable section but most of the items include a meat ingredient so not ideal for anyone wanting a vegetarian side dish. Overall this cookbook contains a lot of recipes that do not look too complicated and can't wait to try.

Was this review helpful?

What a lovely cookery book. Tried a few of the recipes and my favourites are - Stuffed Peaches, Piedmontese Chocolate Pudding,, Milk- Braised Veal Roast and the Roasted potatoes, onions with tomatoes. What i really like about the book is the photos for each recipe and the Menus in the back.

Was this review helpful?

This book provides a good introduction to Italian cooking. There are no unobtainable or bizarre ingredients and the recipes are simple and easy to follow.

Was this review helpful?

I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The recipes and pictures in this book look delicious, They are easily sorted so if you know what you're looking for they are easy to find. I can't wait to give some of the recipes a try like the Cheese Focaccia,

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC! I love this beginner book so much, the pictures and recipes were nice to look at and easy to follow. The vegetable section was especially nice to see since they could make such good sides and main dishes and could be made vegetarian pretty easily as well.

Was this review helpful?

Oh, how lucky I was to receive this book as an ARC from NetGalley! We have been fortunate to have an Italian exchange student live with us for a year, and absolutely loved the Italian meals she made for us.
Now, with the help of this great little book, I will be able to continue to enjoy meals from Giulia's homeland. Super easy to understand, easy to follow, beautifully photographed. And so many great recipes to choose from!
This one is going on the shelf in the kitchen to be used over and over again!

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: