Several years ago, on a break between theatrical gigs in Alabama, Mark traveled to Italy and fell in love with the people, food and culture. Armed with just enough courage, minimal Italian language skills, and a certain proficiency in the kitchen, he enrolled in a full-immersion cooking and language program. He would travel to Viterbo, Italy and live with an Italian family. His teachers were beyond his wildest dreams-he learned to cook from the grandmother, or Nonna, of the family, who prepared every meal in a bustling, busy household, as women in her family have done for generations. Her daughter, Alessandra, taught him the language with patience and precision. Besides culinary secrets and prepositions, they opened their lives to him, and made him a real part of their extensive family. Though the book contains authentic, delicious family recipes Nonna shared with Mark, Beyond the Pasta delves into food memoir subject matter not found in a typical cookbook. It was the day-to-day shopping with Nonna, exploring the countryside and le gelaterie, where he truly developed his language skills, and a new, more joyful and uniquely Italian way of looking at the world.

Celebrating pasta in all its glorious forms, author Domenica Marchetti draws from her Italian heritage to share 100 classic and modern recipes. Step-by-step instructions for making fresh pasta offer plenty of variations on the classic egg pasta, while a glossary of pasta shapes, a source list for unusual ingredients, and a handy guide for stocking the pantry with pasta essentials encourage the home cook to look beyond simple spaghetti. No matter how you sauce it, The Glorious Pasta of Italy is sure to have pasta lovers everywhere salivating.

Making handmade, home-made pasta has never been easier!

A surprisingly wide-ranging journey into the story of this beloved dish and “an utterly fascinating discourse on food history” (The Daily Beast). Intellectually engaging and deliciously readable, this is a stereotype-defying history of how one of the most recognizable symbols of Italian cuisine and national identity is the product of centuries of encounters, dialogue, and exchange. Is it possible to identify a starting point in history from which everything else unfolds—a single moment that can explain the present and reveal the essence of who we are? According to Massimo Montanari, this is just a myth. Historical phenomena can only be understood dynamically—by looking at how events and identities develop and change as a result of encounters and combinations that are often unexpected. As he shows in this lively, brilliant, and surprising essay, finding the origin of spaghetti—or anything else—is not as simple as it may seem. By tracing the history of the one of Italy’s “national dishes” —from Asia to America, from Africa to Europe; from the beginning of agriculture to the Middle Ages and up to the twentieth century—he reveals that in order to understand our own identity, we almost always need to look beyond ourselves to other cultures, peoples, and traditions. “Montanari’s research will delight readers and provide plenty of fodder for dinner-table discussion.” —Booklist “Full of delicious details.” —Publishers Weekly

Gluten-free doesn't mean goodbye, pasta! Gluten-free Pasta offers authentic pasta dishes from all over the world, sans gluten! When you cut out gluten, often you cut out your favorite pasta dishes, too, or find the store-bought gluten-free substitutes to be disappointing. But if it's pasta you're craving, there's a whole world of noodles just waiting to be twirled around your fork: homemade fresh pastas, Asian rice-based noodles, and quick GF boxed brands that will satisfy. You WILL eat pasta again! Gluten-Free Pasta approaches pasta three ways: with recipes for homemade fresh pastas, recommendations for store-bought brands, and also guilt-free veggie noodle stand-ins. Traditional Italian favorites are all well-represented, but Asian noodle soups, pasta bakes, and even wheat flour-free appetizers for entertaining. Expert chef Robin Asbell shows that eating a gluten-free diet can include delicious dishes like: Potato Gnocchi Cacio e Pepe Spinach and Chèe-Filled Jumbo Tortellini Kung Pao Chicken with Linguine Fast Pho Veggie Lasagna Spicy Kimchi-spiked Mac and Cheese With this cookbook in hand, any pasta dish is possible, and all of them will be absolutely delicious.

PASTA contains more than 150 authentic Italian pasta recipes, the very same ones used every day in Italian Kitchens. This unique book covers the entire spectrum, from long (spaghetti, linguini), to short (rigatoni, fusilli), to ribbon shapes (tagliatella, fettuccini), to stuffed pastas (ravioli, lasagna). The recipes are easy to prepare & require no special expertise, other than a desire to cook, & enjoy these traditional & modern Italian dishes. Whatever your taste - a simple linguini with tuna, a ten minute fettuccini with prosciutto & cream, or a succulent farfalle in herbed tomato sauce - these recipes will satisfy. PASTA like the other volumes in the Authentic Italian Kitchen series, is printed on real Italian butcher paper & bound in durable cardboard. All of these books contain hand-drawn images from the original Italian editions, which have become so popular in Italy over the past fifteen years. PASTA also includes an introduction with notes from the American leader, a glossary of terms & ingredients, & a complete index. Other titles in the Authentic Italian Kitchen series are: VEGETARIAN COOKING, PEASANT COOKING, ON THE GRILL, REGIONAL COOKING, SEAFOOD MARINARA, APPETIZERS, & FISH. Make check, money order, or purchase order payable to: Strawpaper Press, 258 West Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06515 (add $1.95 for S&H). Call (203) 397-1940 for orders of five books or more. Distributed by Independent Publishers Group, 814 North Franklin St., Chicago, IL 60610; 312-337-0743; 800-888-4741.

The pasta ninja and Instagram star Linda Miller Nicholson delivers her first cookbook, a stunning cornucopia of pasta in every color and shape, all created by hand using all-natural colors from vegetables, herbs, and superfoods—and including 25 dough recipes, 33 traditional and modern shaping techniques, and the perfect fillings and sauces to make your creations sing! Linda Miller Nicholson began making pasta at age four, but started adding color to it several years ago to entice her son to eat more vegetables. Her creations became a viral sensation, attracting fans worldwide who are mesmerized by her colorful and flavorful designs. Now, with Pasta, Pretty Please home cooks can create dreamy, dazzling pastas in their own kitchens using only all-natural ingredients—flour, eggs, vegetables, herbs, and superfoods—that are true works of art. Playful and inviting, Pasta, Pretty Please includes recipes, techniques, tips, and inspiration. Linda starts with recipes for basic doughs—standard egg dough, various gnocchi doughs—and works her way up to recipes for dough in many colorful shades. She teaches you just how many colors are pastable and what kinds of pigmented vegetables, fruits, and spices you can use to color your pasta—such as mixing turmeric with parsley for just the right shade of chartreuse, or using activated charcoal powder to create black pasta. She also shows you how to roll out dough, cut and form many pasta shapes, and gives tips for retaining brilliant colors even when cooked. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll find recipes for more elaborate patterns and colors that are sure to impress your family and friends. Linda reveals how to layer colors to make multi-colored doughs in recipes including: Rainbow Cavatelli Polka Dot Farfalle Emoji Ravioli Avocado Gnocchi Hearts and Stripes Pappardelle Argyle Lasagna Sheets 6-Colored Fettucine You’ll also find recipes for spectacular sauces and fillings, such as: Golden Milk Ragu Pecorino Pepper Sauce with Broccolini Roasted Tomatoes with Basil Oil and Burrata Spiced Lamb Yogurt Sauce Rustic Squash Filling Classic Ricotta Filling Pepperoni Pizza Filling Featuring beautiful pasta in a rainbow of colors and a variety of shapes, patterns, and sizes, Pasta, Pretty Please is an artistic treasure trove that will please the eye and the palate. Buon Appetito!