Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine
By: Lidia Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali
Lamb Chops with Pea Puree
This might possibly be the only Italian cookbook you will ever need! After all, the subtitle of the book is Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook. That caught my attention immediately.
You will often find me in front of the TV when any of Lidia’s PBS shows are on. She’s funny, informative, and makes Italian cooking look easy. Bonus, I can see the tv in the family room from my kitchen! My favorite episodes are when she has her late mother in the kitchen. Like many cultures, Italian families hand down recipes from generation to generation. Watching them together in the kitchen feels like a special inside look at a traditional Italian family cooking, sharing stories, and passing down recipes together. This book is co-written with Lidia's daughter, Tanya Bastianich Manuali. As I read through it, I could easily imagine the same family exchanges that she shared with her mother in the kitchen.
Reading this book felt like I was attending my own personal master class from the Emmy Award-winning host of public television's Lidia's Kitchen, and best-selling author! Since 1980 Lidia has published 15 cookbooks. Lidia and her family own several restaurants in the United States and are also co-owners of Eataly; which are restaurants/stores specializing in everything Italian. There are over 35 Eataly locations worldwide. Luckily the Chicago location is a train ride away for us. If there’s one close to you, I’d strongly encourage you to plan a trip, and make sure you get the gelato!
This book contains over 400 recipes and includes an 88-page ingredient guide. It is hard to pick just one to highlight! Luckily I always leave a little space at the end of the post to share some extras from each book. The Lamb Chop and Pea Puree is such a treat and quickly became one of our favorites this past year.
Lamb can be so intimidating for home cooks, but this recipe is simple enough to make any night of the week. I love the combination of cheese, with salty, nutty pistachios and bread crumbs. This combination of ingredients that make the crust gives the lamb a great flavor and texture.
Dino loves peas, so there was not a chance that I was going to skip the Pea Puree that accompanies the chops. It’s made using frozen peas and comes together quickly in a pot on top of the stove and a blender or food processor. The peas pair perfectly with the nuttiness from the pistachios in the crust of the chop! Don’t skip the Pea Puree!
The lamb and peas are perfect together, but I would recommend a starch. A side of potatoes is a perfect combination. I’ve served this with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, and creamy polenta. Pick a side you like, it really is the lamb that is the star on this plate!
The only thing that I kept wishing for as I worked my way through this book, was photos. There’s a lot of content, and explanation and story telling, which I love, but I am a sucker for a beautiful food photo! Photos tend to stop me from browsing the pages and get me into the kitchen!
I have three other Lidia’s cookbooks in my collection that I adore and think you will too. If you come across any of these, I’d recommend checking them out! I love that there are now so many wonderful cookbooks in libraries - start there! It’s like trying on an outfit before you decide to purchase it!
Lidia’s newest cookbook was released in October 2021: Lidia's a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl: Simple Recipes for Perfect Meals.
This is my go-to when I’m craving Italian food. I have made tons of the recipes in this book. The Guazzetto di Coniglio (rabbit stew) is on my bucket list, if I can get lucky enough to find local rabbit at the farmers market this year.
Here are a few more tried and true recipes from this book!
Zucchini Fritters (Frittelle di Zucchine) page 104
Tuna and Bean Salad (Insalata di Tonno e Fagioli) page 286
Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce (Uova Affogate in Salsa di Pomedoro) page 1113
Fried Polenta (Polenta Fritta) page 199
Raw Summer Tomato Sauce (Salsa di Pomodoro Crudo) page 161
Steamed Mussels in Savory Wine Sauce (Cozze al Vino Bianco)page 115
Cannoli Napoleon (Cannolo a Stratti) page 365
I think this would be a perfect cookbook club book to use to plan a day of Italian dishes to share with friends! Maybe even find some good Italian wines and pair them up with these recipes. As Lidia would say “Buon Gusto”
Please visit your local library, a small independently owned bookstore, or purchase your copy on Amazon.
I hope you’ll enjoy this book and cook along! Send me pictures if you make one of the recipes from this amazing book!
