Amazon.com Review
Restaurant Da Silvano is a small Manhattan treasure. Opened over 25 years ago by Silvano Marcchetto, it was among the first New York dining spots to offer authentic Tuscan cooking. Locals flocked there, followed by celebrities including Jack Nicholson, Paul McCartney, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Overseen by the ebullient Marcchetto, the restaurant's cooking is now available to one and all in
Da Silvano Cookbook, which presents over 120 recipes for its savory straightforward fare. This includes dishes like
Linguine alla Vognole (linguine with clams),
Rapini con Salsiccia (broccoli di rapa with spicy pork sausage), and
Pesce Spade alla Veneziana (Venetian-style swordfish). The dishes, many of which are generally known, nonetheless have Marcchetto's special touch that results in superior eating.
The book offers recipes for all the courses of a typical Italian meal, from antipasti to dolci, and includes particularly winning meat and poultry formulas like that for chicken cooked in beer, a house specialty. Vegetables, too, receive their due, with dishes like fennel with Parmesan cheese. Among the sweets, the restaurant's famed panna cotta, a toothsomely firm version, is present, and wine suggestions are offered throughout. Illustrated with color photos, many of the "master" himself, this easy-going but astute collection provides enjoyment equal to a visit to the restaurant itself. --Arthur Boehm
From Publishers Weekly
Serving customers since 1975, Da Silvano has thrived in a notoriously fickle environment far longer than many illustrious competitors, and Marchetto says he has not written a cookbook until now because he has been too busy. Reflecting the Tuscan cuisine he grew up with in Florence, the chef celebrates Italian tradition and its rewarding simplicity. Here are recipes for Spaghetti Puttanesca, Pasta e Fagioli and the classic Osso Buco alla Milanese. Marchetto also has a deft hand at creating dishes a bit out of the ordinary, including Monkfish and Melon Carpaccio and Veal Scaloppine, Silvano Style, which is cooked with sliced button mushrooms and heavy cream. Other popular recipes from this West Village establishment include Garlic Soup, with peeled cloves from eight heads of the fragrant bulb tamed by simmering two hours in two quarts of chicken broth, CrŠme Caramel lightened with lemon zest and Da Silvano's signature dessert, Panna Cotta, which acquires its firmness from being cooked in the oven, not on the stovetop. Another notable recipe from the menu is Chicken Cooked in Beer, which promises utterly succulent results. Marchetto's food is hearty and decidedly unpretentious, which makes this a welcome entry in a world of chef cookbooks, where many offerings can be a daunting stretch for home cooks. Tosches, a Da Silvano regular, delivers an ever-perfect introduction to this cookbook.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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