La Mia Cucina Toscana: A Tuscan Cooks in America [Hardcover]

Pino Luongo (Author), Andrew Friedman (Author), Marta Pulini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2003

Pino Luongo, prolific and irrepressible restaurateur (Le Madri, Coco Pazzo, Tuscan Square, and Centolire) and author of A Tuscan in the Kitchen and Simply Tuscan, has written a highly personal, completely innovative take on the food of his native region.

For more than two decades, Pino Luongo has been one of New York City’s most renowned restaurateurs. Inspired by the many culinary crosscurrents in this most cosmopolitan of cities, he has devised an original version of the food of Tuscany that draws on ingredients and inspiration from Italy, America, and even Asia. Grouping recipes by key ingredients (such as grains and legumes, mushrooms, spring vegetables, and fall vegetables) instead of by courses, he explains the Old-World “Il Classico” roots of his recipes, then takes them in exciting new directions with his own vibrant, New-World versions. In this brand new approach, the thick Florentine soup ribollita becomes a delectable filling for ravioli. Polenta replaces bread in pappa al pomodoro (tomato and bread soup). The farro grain finds a new role as the basis of a warm salad made of mushrooms and arugula. Shellfish is happily married with the usually vegetarian dish caponata. There are poultry (Rigatoni with Chicken and Pea Ragout with Prosciutto), pork (Pork Short Ribs, Tuscan Style), and meat dishes (Lemon and Oregano–Marinated Lamb Chops with Roasted Peppers) and for an unusual finish to the meal, he gives advice on serving cheese with unexpected accompaniments. A luscious selection of dolci includes desserts such as Chocolate Pudding with Cherry Sauce and Citrus Zest and Almond Biscotti. Occasionally Pino Luongo looks back to Tuscany’s glorious past for inspiration, as with the dessert dating from the Renaissance, Tagliatelle Torta with Apples and Raisins. Based on dishes served in Pino Luongo’s popular and acclaimed restaurants as well as recipes he has created at home through improvisation, La Mia Cucina Toscana will delight anyone interested in exploring something new from one of Tuscany’s favorite sons.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this muddled book, restaurateur Luongo (Simply Tuscan) takes the simple, unadorned food of Tuscany and other parts of Italy and makes it complex for no discernible reason. The concept is good: Luongo has now cooked in New York City for two decades, and he sets out to illustrate how his native Tuscan dishes have mutated under those circumstances. Almost every recipe is accompanied by two headers, titled "Il Classico" and "La Mia Versione," which explain its origins. But most of these explanations are based on an idea rather than taste-such as a recipe for Tuscan-Style Porcini Mushrooms in which Luongo explains that the cooking method used is one that would normally be applied to a fettina, a cheap cut of meat-leaving the reader to wonder how taste and idea interact. Some of the recipes have no Tuscan roots at all, like a Tuna and Beet Carpaccio with Gorgonzola Cheese based on the famous beef carpaccio served at Harry's Bar in Venice, or an Eggplant-Chocolate Mousse that evolved from an ancient Neapolitan eggplant dessert. Dishes that adhere most closely to the originals, such as a Baked Sea Bream on a Bed of Potatoes and Pecorino (which, Luongo admits, breaks the cardinal Italian rule of no-cheese-with-fish), are the safest bets, while out-on-a-limb combinations such as Watermelon and Fresh Fava Bean Salad feel as if they use strangeness as an attention-getting gambit.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Pino is always coming up with something new–it’s great how he ties his creativity to the classics.”
--Jean-Georges Vongerichten, chef and restaurateur, and author of Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef

“Nearly everything I know about Italian food came via Pino Luongo. And Marta Pulini, as far as I'm concerned, is the first and last word on the subject. Together, they changed New Yorkers’ expectations and paved the way for many who came after. La Mia Cucina Toscana is an invaluable and honest representation of Pino’s long, deep and abiding love for the food of his homeland, a straightforward and eminently useful look at the good stuff. I’ve been using their recipes for years.”
--Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; First Edition edition (October 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767911946
• ISBN-13: 978-0767911948
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful cookbook that encourages cooking., April 5, 2007

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Alison D. Curry (New York City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: La Mia Cucina Toscana : A Tuscan Cooks in America (Hardcover)

I am not a baker because if I have 40% of the ingredients, I'll go ahead and make the dish. This cookbook is great for me because Luongo offers the classic Italian version, and his version, which shows me where the options are for my own interpretation. The photographs are beautiful. Great recipes for spring like spring vegetable and pecorino toscana salad, salad of sweet corn, peas and spelt - and lots of great mushroom recipes for the fall.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photos of each recipe, June 15, 2007

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Nancy (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: La Mia Cucina Toscana: A Tuscan Cooks in America (Hardcover)

Beautiful photos of each recipe allow readers to see what their creation will look like. Tuscan recipes with a contemporary twist that are worth the effort.