Michele Scicolone wrote Italian Holiday Cooking in order to save those most-loved recipes our immigrant grandparents and parents brought with them from Italy but we never thought to write down. Surely, this is comfort food at its finest. Savory Easter Pie is rich with onions and sausage; ricotta, Parmigiano, mozzarella, and Swiss cheeses; and ham, salami, and pepperoni. Can you smell it baking? Umbrian Ragu, more elaborate than most, calls for dried porcini mushrooms and black truffles. Venetian Risotto with Peas for San Marco is soft and creamy, served wetter than typical risottos, and is very simple to make.

Scicolone's introduction to each recipe includes a bit of background about where it came from, for which holiday it's prepared, and tips for preparation. She also recommends a wine for every dish. And since no holiday would be complete without dessert, Scicolone offers a beautiful selection of cakes, cookies, and other desserts, including a Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake made with ricotta, Creamy Rice Fritters, and the elusive first recipe of the 150 she collected for this project, Vecchiarelle, which are little cookies flavored with red wine and honey. --Leora Y. Bloom


Book Description

"My Sicilian grandmother used to make a cookic with red wine, dipped in honey, but I can't find a recipe anywhere."

Whether you're looking for your grandmother's vecchiarelle, a traditional Christmas Lye Neapolitan seafood salad, Italian-style fried chicken for Chanukah, or spice cookies for All Souls' Day, you'll find them together with 150 other classic recipes in Italian Holiday Cooking.

From Christmas to Carnevale, from Sundae dinner to saints' feast days, Italians know how to celebrate. And what's an Italian celebration without food?

With this collection, renowned Italian food and wine writer Michele Scicolone brings the spirit and the flavors of Italian holiday cooking into your own kitchen. Enjoy Christmas Capon, Red Risotto for Rosh Hashanah, and Good Luck Lentil Soup for New Year's Day. Leave it to the Italians to honor the holidays with specific pasta dishes: Pasta for Saint Joseph's Day -- tripolini with almonds, bread crumbs, and anehovy -- Ravioli for the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, and Fettuccine and Chickpeas for the Day of the Dead. There are antipasti and savory pies and hearty second courses. Special cakes, cookies, and other dolci include Chocolate Cake for Passover, Christmas Struffoli, and Carnevale Cannoli. And, of course, all these recipes can be made throughout the year.

Italian Holiday Cooking includes stories and the lore of homeland traditions and celebrations that Italian-American families have kept alive in the United States. So even if you're not Italian, celebrate with Italian Holiday Cooking.


About the Author
Michele Scicolone is a food and travel writer and cooking teacher whose articles appear in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wine Spectator, and many other publications. She is the author of Savoring Italy, Pizza Any Way You Slice It! (coauthored with her husband, Charles, an Italian wine expert), A Fresh Taste of Italy, La Dolce Vita, and The Antipasto Table. She lives in New York City and visits Italy several times each year.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Whether it's Carnivale, Christmas, or Sunday dinner, Italians have a special flair for celebrating. In this inspired new cookbook, food and wine writer Michele Scicolone brings the zest and joy of Italian traditions into American homes. Here are 150 authentic recipes for every occasion and taste, from antipasti and savory pies to pasta, risotto, and polenta; from second courses to an array of special dolce cakes, cookies, and other desserts.