Mammissima: Family Cooking from a Modern Italian Mamma

Apulia is the "heel" of Italy. Bordering the iridescent Adriatic Sea, this is a region where the olive oil resembles pure gold, where the fish is cooked up fresh from the sea, and where sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are at the heart of the cuisine. The food here is light, nutritious, and rustic, and firmly centered around family life.

Born in this charming region, vivacious and modern mother of two Elisabetta Minervini has brought the vitality of Apulian cooking to her home in London, and in Mammissima she shares the traditional recipes that her children have come to adore. These include orecchiette ("little-ear" pasta), focaccia, pasta al forno (oven-baked pasta), Salento rustic pie, and the ultimate pizza that will get everyone involved. This kind of cooking suits a hectic lifestyle and can be prepared for quickly and easily using inexpensive ingredients.

With enchanting food photography, illustrations, and plenty of personality, this glorious book will allow you to add Italian panache and bring la dolce vita to your own everyday cooking.