Inspired by countless trips to Italy, during which she experienced an enormous variety of regional specialities, renowned restaurateur Katie Caldesi has set out to find the very best of these provincial variations, resulting in this inimitable compendium of Italian food – The Italian Cookery Course. 

Combining a mixture of the traditional with the contemporary, the 500 recipes that ensue are interwoven with fascinating narrative about the influences and the people, just as much a part of the dish as its flavour.  Broken down into straight-forward chapters, including ‘Antipasti’, ‘Soup’, ‘Pasta’, ‘Fish’, ‘Meat’, ‘Cheese’ and ‘Dolci’, The Italian Cookery Course also features a series of masterclasses on techniques, revealing the practical secrets of staples such as risotto, meats, breads and  gnocchi.

No Italian cookbook is complete without pasta and we’re not left disappointed with dishes including Layered Pasta with Porcini and Parma Ham, Tagliatelle with Roasted Vegetables and Toasted Almonds, and Katie’s favourite version of Bolognese, with chicken livers and pancetta to add to the richness.

Despite the longstanding debate, risotto is another classic that has no one correct method, so here Katie encourages you to make it just as you like it, including recipe ideas for a simple saffron version as well as Lemon Risotto with Chilli and Prawns and Leek and Taleggio Risotto with Walnut Pesto.

Katie Caldesi owns London’s Caffe Caldesi and Caldesi in Campagna in Bray with her husband, Giancarlo. She is the principal of La Cucina Caldesi – the only Italian cookery school in central London. Here she teaches alongside some of the biggest names in Italian cuisine, including Gennaro Contaldo, Ursula Ferrigno and Valentina Harris. She has travelled extensively through Italy seeking out recipes and closely guarded family recipe secrets for this book.  With Giancarlo, she has also
co-authored Italian Mama’s Kitchen.