Customer Reviews

Fantastico: Little Italian Plates and Antipasti from Rick Tramonto's Kitchen

5 star:		(5)
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"The only hard-and-fast rule for these small taste treats is that the ingredients be the best you can find." Award-winning Chicago chef Tramonto ("Amuse-Bouche") celebrates small doses of assertive, fresh Italian flavor in which a mouthful or two is enough. Dishes are arranged within chapters so they move forward from spring to winter using seasonal ingredients; the photos are gorgeous and wine advice accompanies each recipe.

He begins with assagio (a morsel), intense little dishes like Marinated White Anchovy and Dandelion Salad or the Italian pickled vegetables Giardiniera, then moves on to crudo (raw, salted and marinated) - Oysters with Red Wine Vinaigrette; Crusted Ahi Tuna with Pomegranate Vinaigrette - and bocconcini (small simple plates) like Baby Artichokes with Lemon-Garlic Bread Crumbs.

There are chapters for bruschetta with "robust" toppings like Fennel and Green Olives and crostini with "refined" toppings like pureed Chicken Livers and Balsamic. Then comes panini - Truffled Scrambled Egg and Bacon - and cicchetti (mini Venetian-style sandwiches) - Fresh Ricotta and Sun-Dried Tomato.

And finally the antipasti (little plates before the pasta) - Creamy Soft Polenta with Meat Ragu; Abruzzi Swordfish Roll-Ups - and the cheese course - Scamorza with Arugula and Oranges.

What all the dishes have in common is a mouthwatering attention to detail, by which I mean the finest ingredients and no shortcuts. The Taleggio (cheese) with Quince Paste and Marcona Almonds, for instance, requires you to make the quince paste. If you have ever tried this, you will know what I mean by laborious, if you have not, well, the directions are clear and brazen.

Many dishes, however, are quite simple, though never slapdash and often requiring several steps. This is a book for those who like to cook, not just get food on the table.

I will definitely make most of the recipes in this book. I ordered coordinating an Italian themed wedding menu and I'm really glad I did!!

Very nice book with a slightly exagerated title although I still give it 5 stars. The book contains countless suggestions with which to kick off a meal wether formal or informal, modern or contemporary. Rick of course needs no introductions, and again has put out a piece that will not just sit on your bookshelf. This is a keeper!!!

I have not used this book yet to prepare a recipe, but have read them and know they will be very good.

So many are so easy to make and you don`t need fancy stuff, which is sometimes hard to get