Italian cooks are masters of the art of preparing simmering soups and stews that showcase seasonal ingredients at their very best. Domenica Marchetti reveals their secrets with The Glorious Soups and Stews of Italy, a collection of more than 60 exceptional, authentic recipes that celebrate each season in the Italian tradition. On a rainy day in fall, nothing takes the chill off like a bowl of Crema di Ceci con Maltagliati, a hearty, rustic soup of pured chickpeas and pasta drizzled with fresh olive oil. In winter, La Genovese di Signora Venditti, a rich ragu of slow-cooked beef and sweet onions, will surely lift the spirits. Vellutata di Asparagi con Orzo Perlato, a delicately flavored, creamy soup of tender asparagus, sweet fennel, and pearled barley makes a perfect spring welcome. And when summer comes, Zuppa di Cozze e Vongole Piccante, a spicy stew of mussels, clams, and ripe garden tomatoes is perfect for a casual dinner party. With practical information on equipment, seasonal and pantry ingredients, and a delicious mix of vanishing classics, regional specialties, treasured family recipes, and contemporary creations, The Glorious Soups and Stews of Italy is a book to be savored throughout the year.
Before I was a cookbook author and food writer, I was a newspaper reporter. I wrote about all kinds of things: school board meetings, the latest fitness craze, or how billionaire philanthropists like to give away their money. I hardly ever wrote about food, even though it was the subject I thought about most. Years after I had graduated from Columbia School of Journalism and worked at several newspapers, it finally dawned on me that I could and should be writing about food. So that is what I am doing.
I grew up in an Italian family. At the dinner table we spent more time debating what we should eat tomorrow night than politics or the news of the day. My mother is a native of Chieti, a picturesque hilltop city in Abruzzo, not far from the Adriatic coast. She had my sister and me shaping gnocchi and ravioli by the time we could see over the kitchen counter. We spent our summers in Italy with my mother's three sisters (all great cooks); each year my father planned trips around the peninsula guided by where the best local food and wine were to be found.
I've continued the tradition of food-focused trips now that I have my own family, and I'm happy to say that my latest book, The Glorious Pasta of Italy, has some great examples of little-known regional specialties as a result.
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