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Nigellissima: 120 Recipes for Simple Italian Food
Nigellissima takes inspiration from Italian cooking to bring the spirit of Italy into the kitchen and onto the plate, pronto. At the heart of Italian cookery lies a celebration of food that is fresh, tasty and unpretentious; Nigella Lawson reflects this in recipes that are simple and speedy, elevating everyday eating into no-fuss feasts.
Italian food has colonised the world. Nigellissima shows us how and why in over 100 delicious dishes - from telephone-cord pasta with Sicilian pesto to the crustless Meatzza, from Sardinian couscous to Venetian stew, from penne to papardelle, from ragù to risotto, from Italian apple pie and no-churn ices to panna cotta and sambuca kisses - in a round-Italy quickstep that culminates in a festive chapter of party food, with an Italian-inspired Christmas feast as its mouthwatering centrepiece. From the traditional to the unfamiliar, here are recipes to excite the taste buds and the imagination, without stressing the cook.
Nigella's gastronomic heart is in Italy, and in this new book she conjures up, with passionate relish, the warmth, simplicity and directness of Italian cooking, with an Anglo-twist. Illustrated with gorgeous photographs to instruct and delight Nigellissima is accompanied by a major new BBC TV series.
Italian food has colonised the world. Nigellissima shows us how and why in over 100 delicious dishes - from telephone-cord pasta with Sicilian pesto to the crustless Meatzza, from Sardinian couscous to Venetian stew, from penne to papardelle, from ragù to risotto, from Italian apple pie and no-churn ices to panna cotta and sambuca kisses - in a round-Italy quickstep that culminates in a festive chapter of party food, with an Italian-inspired Christmas feast as its mouthwatering centrepiece. From the traditional to the unfamiliar, here are recipes to excite the taste buds and the imagination, without stressing the cook.
Nigella's gastronomic heart is in Italy, and in this new book she conjures up, with passionate relish, the warmth, simplicity and directness of Italian cooking, with an Anglo-twist. Illustrated with gorgeous photographs to instruct and delight Nigellissima is accompanied by a major new BBC TV series.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 13, 2012
285 people are currently reading
1148 people want to read
About the author
Nigella Lawson
44 books969 followersNigella Lawson is the daughter of former Conservative cabinet minister Nigel Lawson (now Lord Lawson) and the late Vanessa Salmon, socialite and heir to the Lyons Corner House empire, who died of liver cancer in 1985. Lawson attended Godolphin and Latymer School and Westminster School before graduating from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, with a degree in Medieval and Modern Languages.
Lawson wrote a restaurant column for the Spectator and a comment column for The Observer and became deputy literary editor of the Sunday Times in 1986. She became, among other things, a newspaper-reviewer on BBC1 Sunday-morning TV programme 'Breakfast with Frost'. She has also co-hosted, with David Aaronovitch, Channel 4 books discussion programme 'Booked' in the late 1990s, and was an occasional compere of BBC2's press review 'What the Papers Say', as well as appearing on BBC radio.
Following slots as a culinary sidekick on Nigel Slater's 'Real Food Show' on Channel 4, she has fronted three eponymous TV cookery series broadcast in the UK on the channel. She has had two series of 'Nigella Bites' in 1999-2001, plus a 2001 Christmas special, and 'Forever Summer with Nigella' in 2002, both of which yielded accompanying recipe books. Her style of presentation is often gently mocked by comedians and commentators, particularly in a regularly-occurring impersonation of her in the BBC television comedy series 'Dead Ringers', who perceive that she plays overtly upon her attractiveness and sexuality as a device to engage viewers of her cookery programmes, despite Lawson's repeated denials that she does so.
She was voted author of the year at the 2001 British Book Awards. More than 2 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide.
Lawson wrote a restaurant column for the Spectator and a comment column for The Observer and became deputy literary editor of the Sunday Times in 1986. She became, among other things, a newspaper-reviewer on BBC1 Sunday-morning TV programme 'Breakfast with Frost'. She has also co-hosted, with David Aaronovitch, Channel 4 books discussion programme 'Booked' in the late 1990s, and was an occasional compere of BBC2's press review 'What the Papers Say', as well as appearing on BBC radio.
Following slots as a culinary sidekick on Nigel Slater's 'Real Food Show' on Channel 4, she has fronted three eponymous TV cookery series broadcast in the UK on the channel. She has had two series of 'Nigella Bites' in 1999-2001, plus a 2001 Christmas special, and 'Forever Summer with Nigella' in 2002, both of which yielded accompanying recipe books. Her style of presentation is often gently mocked by comedians and commentators, particularly in a regularly-occurring impersonation of her in the BBC television comedy series 'Dead Ringers', who perceive that she plays overtly upon her attractiveness and sexuality as a device to engage viewers of her cookery programmes, despite Lawson's repeated denials that she does so.
She was voted author of the year at the 2001 British Book Awards. More than 2 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
November 29, 2015
So. I knew her name. But really nothing else about Nigella Lawson. I've seen her cookbooks in friends' kitchens; that was about it. When Shauna Niequist (Bread & Wine) highly recommended her cookbooks for "comfort reading" I decided to see what was what.
Sidenote: When I told a co-worker that Nigella was my 'new thang', she informed me that Nigella is now déclassé (well, that's not the word she used, but I just learned it--from Nigella--and needed to test drive it) because of personal problems. Ah. I'm always at least five years behind pop culture.
Shauna was right. What an entertaining cookbook! Nigella twice writes about her "appetite for alliteration" and "alliterative allure". And all the British English makes this Anglophile chuffed to bits. It's kind of like getting two-for-one (England and Italy).
• a fierce but exquisite supper
• just bung 'em all in
• A roast chicken always feels celebratory; indeed, a roast chicken always is celebratory.
• The saffron-soused grains of barley positively ooze sunniness.
• I like this with a few raspberries to tumble around and a chocolate sauce to Jackson Pollock over it.
(I whooped aloud when I read this!)
• I’m not going to give an evangelical tub-thump about my turkey brining techniques,
• I know it might sound a bit of a faff,
I took notes. Never salt pasta water until it has come to a boil. Always hold back a cup of the pasta water in reserve for the sauce. Mushroom should only be wiped with a damp cloth, never washed. I'm going to buy some vermouth to have on hand, because we seldom open a bottle of white wine and then it goes to waste. And shallots are the thing, she says. Easier to peel than an onion and cooks faster. She also buys egg-whites in a carton (better than having the egg yolks woefully staring at you in the fridge).
While this was a fun cookbook to read, there were many ingredients that would be hard for me to find in my isolated town in Oregon. I'd like to try a few. And perhaps make a grocery list for an Italian deli the next time I'm in a Little Italy.
The section An Italian-Inspired Christmas was fun and timely. Several gift options, if I were a brave girl. Spaghetti Spice packets. Biscotti. Chocolate Salami. (It just looks like salami.)
My Kindle ran out of juice (and my loan is about to expire) so I read the rest on Kindle for PC. What a grand idea! The pictures were so much more scrumptious looking.
Sidenote: When I told a co-worker that Nigella was my 'new thang', she informed me that Nigella is now déclassé (well, that's not the word she used, but I just learned it--from Nigella--and needed to test drive it) because of personal problems. Ah. I'm always at least five years behind pop culture.
Shauna was right. What an entertaining cookbook! Nigella twice writes about her "appetite for alliteration" and "alliterative allure". And all the British English makes this Anglophile chuffed to bits. It's kind of like getting two-for-one (England and Italy).
• a fierce but exquisite supper
• just bung 'em all in
• A roast chicken always feels celebratory; indeed, a roast chicken always is celebratory.
• The saffron-soused grains of barley positively ooze sunniness.
• I like this with a few raspberries to tumble around and a chocolate sauce to Jackson Pollock over it.
(I whooped aloud when I read this!)
• I’m not going to give an evangelical tub-thump about my turkey brining techniques,
• I know it might sound a bit of a faff,
I took notes. Never salt pasta water until it has come to a boil. Always hold back a cup of the pasta water in reserve for the sauce. Mushroom should only be wiped with a damp cloth, never washed. I'm going to buy some vermouth to have on hand, because we seldom open a bottle of white wine and then it goes to waste. And shallots are the thing, she says. Easier to peel than an onion and cooks faster. She also buys egg-whites in a carton (better than having the egg yolks woefully staring at you in the fridge).
While this was a fun cookbook to read, there were many ingredients that would be hard for me to find in my isolated town in Oregon. I'd like to try a few. And perhaps make a grocery list for an Italian deli the next time I'm in a Little Italy.
The section An Italian-Inspired Christmas was fun and timely. Several gift options, if I were a brave girl. Spaghetti Spice packets. Biscotti. Chocolate Salami. (It just looks like salami.)
My Kindle ran out of juice (and my loan is about to expire) so I read the rest on Kindle for PC. What a grand idea! The pictures were so much more scrumptious looking.
April 21, 2018
4 stars.🌟🌟🌟🌟
A good 👍cookbook overall and while I always enjoy Nigella's personal approach to writing recipes, I don't see me making that many of her pasta dishes. Where this book really shines for me is her wonderful recipes for vegetable sides and her fabulous desserts. I love her Italian Christmas and know I will pull up these recipes during the holidays.
I already own several of her cookbooks and always seem to end up with those recipes that become staples for me. I am interested to see which ones will be the keepers here.
A good 👍cookbook overall and while I always enjoy Nigella's personal approach to writing recipes, I don't see me making that many of her pasta dishes. Where this book really shines for me is her wonderful recipes for vegetable sides and her fabulous desserts. I love her Italian Christmas and know I will pull up these recipes during the holidays.
I already own several of her cookbooks and always seem to end up with those recipes that become staples for me. I am interested to see which ones will be the keepers here.
December 8, 2024
Wstęp i pierwsze przepisy (makarony) są ok, nawet jeśli nie wszystko miałabym ochotę zjeść. Ale później wiele przepisów jest nie do zrealizowania, jeśli nie mieszkasz w Italii lub w pobliżu świetnie zaopatrzonych włoskich delikatesów (wraz z rzeźnikiem, owocami morza i rybami - nie wszystko nawet dziś jest do ogarnięcia przez internet). Dobrze się czytało wprowadzenia do przepisów, lubię poczucie humoru i luz w kuchni, a brakuje tego wielu książkom kucharskim. Nigella to ma, beztroskę i przyjemność czerpaną z gotowania i jedzenia. Ale jak czytam o trzech podstawowych rodzajach radicchio, podczas gdy w moich sklepach radicchio występuje co najwyżej jako porwane kawałki w mieszance sałaty, to mogę tylko westchnąć. Oczywiście w przepisach można coś zmienić i użyć własnej inwencji, ale jeśli brak Ci kluczowego składnika (np. jagnięciny do pieczeni jagnięcej) lub w niemal każdym przepisie musisz kombinować, czym to by się dało zastąpić, to już dla mnie za dużo. Niektóre przepisy i pomysły są bardzo ciekawe i pewnie coś zanotuję, zanim puszczę książkę w świat. No i szczerze nie mogę ścierpieć tego, że w przepisie na naleśniki z mascarpone, ricottą i truskawkami w rumie proponuje mi się beztrosko kupić gotowe naleśniki, ale 100 stron później toczymy i smażymy 200 kuleczek ciasta wielkości orzecha laskowego, żeby zrobić swiąteczne struffoli. Jeśli komuś nie chce się usmażyć 8 naleśników, to chyba te kuleczki robią i smażą za niego elfy?
July 23, 2013
Italian food is not high on my list of favourites. (It almost seems like blasphemy to admit this. I don't like capers, olives or veal.) I did enjoy this recipe book, precisely because it is the Nigella treatment of Italian cuisine. She has made a thorough study, kept the best bits, and made the rest out of her extensive technical knowledge of food. I like Italian-style recipes a lot more once they have been run through her filter.
November 11, 2020
“Sometimes it's good just to be seduced by the particular cheeses spread out in front of you on a cheese counter.”
February 4, 2018
I love the recipes in this book. I'm going to make a lot of them this year and the few I made were a big success already.
There's one slightly negative thing though. I'm not keen on the pictures in this book. They're rather dark and not always super appetising. Oh well, more reason to make a recipe I guess!
There's one slightly negative thing though. I'm not keen on the pictures in this book. They're rather dark and not always super appetising. Oh well, more reason to make a recipe I guess!
Read
June 1, 2021I was only interested in the veg, and weirdly, most had ingredients I don't like. But, the recipes look amazing and each uses just a few ingredients.
October 2, 2022
Not my favourite Nigella, but her voice still shines through, and as I love Italian cuisine, I found it particularly useful in the summer.
December 3, 2019
I was very sad to see a bookshop that had been in the local mall for about 40 years was closing. I popped in to peruse the sale, not expecting to buy anything when I spotted this book. I had a copy of "Nigella Bites" at one point and in an unhauling frenzy, added it to the charity shop pile. So when I saw this one on sale, with an additional 40% off, I decided to grab a copy and see if it would make up for my lack of forethought.
A year later, I finally sat down and became acquainted with this love-letter to Italy. I am extremely fond of pasta, but like so many people I don't venture too far away from the standards. This book has inspired me to combined ingredients that I am familiar with but wouldn't have considered before. It also introduced me to ingredients and recipes that are new to me. "Iced Berries with Limoncello White Chocolate Sauce"? YES PLEASE!!!
Nigella Lawson makes it so easy to fall in love with the entire process of creating a lovely meal while keeping it beautifully simple. From shopping for ingredients to prepping the kitchen to cooking and serving, each step is an act of love not only for the food but for those who will be enjoying it. This is especially true if you are cooking something for yourself.
Can you hear that? I do believe that Italy is calling...
A year later, I finally sat down and became acquainted with this love-letter to Italy. I am extremely fond of pasta, but like so many people I don't venture too far away from the standards. This book has inspired me to combined ingredients that I am familiar with but wouldn't have considered before. It also introduced me to ingredients and recipes that are new to me. "Iced Berries with Limoncello White Chocolate Sauce"? YES PLEASE!!!
Nigella Lawson makes it so easy to fall in love with the entire process of creating a lovely meal while keeping it beautifully simple. From shopping for ingredients to prepping the kitchen to cooking and serving, each step is an act of love not only for the food but for those who will be enjoying it. This is especially true if you are cooking something for yourself.
Can you hear that? I do believe that Italy is calling...
March 10, 2013
This just didn't do much for me. I think that if I had picked it up without Lawson attached to it, I might have liked it better - it's a beautiful book, and many of the recipes are simple, delicious and kind of different. I love her fascination with black pasta; the fig and olive chutney is great and the roast chicken with vegetables, while kind of a no-brainer, is totally the kind of thing I wish I'd thought of. But her intros, which I usually love, just don't feel authentic. She's constantly justifying herself, refers too often to other recipes and books that aren't included here, and admits that many of the recipes are derivative of others. So while this is interesting, it's not her best work.
September 28, 2020
This book speaks to my soul (and my belly)
I absolutely love Nigella’s take on authentic Italian dishes. She gets it. I also really enjoy the format in which she writes her cookbooks. There is always a story with each recipe she chooses that is just the right amount of information and background mixed with her signature passion and wit.
I absolutely love Nigella’s take on authentic Italian dishes. She gets it. I also really enjoy the format in which she writes her cookbooks. There is always a story with each recipe she chooses that is just the right amount of information and background mixed with her signature passion and wit.
February 23, 2017
Yum yum
Again Novella writes and creates magic in the kitchen that
Are fairly easy to do but your waistline might suffer as a result
Again Novella writes and creates magic in the kitchen that
Are fairly easy to do but your waistline might suffer as a result
April 25, 2022
Nigella!
The book is fantastic and the pictures of the food are amazing. Nigella’s desserts are the reason I bought this book and her recipes for that definitely do not disappoint.
The book is fantastic and the pictures of the food are amazing. Nigella’s desserts are the reason I bought this book and her recipes for that definitely do not disappoint.
August 7, 2021
i resisted Nigella lawson's books for some time, mostly because here is another pretty cook with an entourage. But...after reading now three of her cookbooks I have come to admire her knowledge and craft in the kitchen. She upgrades many well known recipes with her own creativity, exploring new flavors and presentations. Count me as a hard won over fan. Worth reading.
November 10, 2023
My comfort reading continues with one of my favorite cookbook authors. Nigella turns her culinary charms to Italian food. Is it authentic Italian? Of course not. Do I care? Of course not. Nigella puts her short cuts and twists on classic Italian food and a lot of these can be weeknight meals. Fun, quirky cookbook.
November 4, 2021
Plenty of lovely recipes to get inspired from.
It's not her best cook book though. I absolutely loved Cook. Eat. Repeat. and I was expecting something of the same calibre and I was in fact a little disappointed.
Still, I love Nigella's great taste and the simplicity of her recipes.
It's not her best cook book though. I absolutely loved Cook. Eat. Repeat. and I was expecting something of the same calibre and I was in fact a little disappointed.
Still, I love Nigella's great taste and the simplicity of her recipes.
August 1, 2025
I love the way Nigella writes about food and memory; her writing evokes such warmth and appetite! Pictures were less appealing but overall recipes were simple and unique. Will be trying a few soon!!
August 27, 2025
Ihana kirja.
Hienot kuvat,koukuttavat ja ennenkaikkea helpot ja herkulliset reseptit.
Parasta antia on kuitenkin ehdottomasti charmikkaan ja lämpimän Nigellan alustukset jokaisen reseptin alussa.
Lisää tätä!
Hienot kuvat,koukuttavat ja ennenkaikkea helpot ja herkulliset reseptit.
Parasta antia on kuitenkin ehdottomasti charmikkaan ja lämpimän Nigellan alustukset jokaisen reseptin alussa.
Lisää tätä!
May 1, 2019
some basic easy recipes - I love her approach to cooking. most interesting was the chocolate pasta...
June 9, 2019
Reading her recipes is like listening to her talk on her cooking shows... a dash of this .. add a good slug of that.. making her recipes is a joy!
This is a recipe book and I will never be finished!
This is a recipe book and I will never be finished!
April 17, 2021
Lots of fun and delicious recipes. The desserts are to die for!
July 11, 2022
Loved the book. Easy to follow recipes and so tasty. I recommend it.
August 12, 2022
A very mood altering human.
January 15, 2023
Tasty Italian recipes, both for meals and desserts. Includes Christmas & New Year sections—but the recipes in these would be good at other times as well.
April 12, 2021
One of my go-to cookbooks. Great recipes and if you can get the TV show (on Britbox), it's a great companion to the book. Mind you, there are not a lot of cook books I reference when cooking, and this is one of my favorites.
Read
December 28, 2024The chocolate salame is a must!
April 21, 2021
Nigellissima transports you to Italy in all the BEST ways! 100% deliciousness in a single book. I hope there's a follow up because this is just stunning food, and easy to make.
February 28, 2013
The Good Stuff
Truly stunning photography
Love the use of many natural ingredients
Plenty of unusual combinations that really work
Simple uncomplicated meals
The introduction is fabulous and interesting - one of the more in-depth introductions I have ever seen in a cookbook
The Shrimp Pasta Rosa is now a main staple in our weekly dinners. Its easy and quick to make and the kids love it. We also substitute chicken for the shrimp frequently as seafood is seriously pricey in Calgary (and don't get me started on how expensive dairy products are in this province - Mascarpone is $12 a container - thank god this recipe only calls for a bit of it)
A fabulous cookbook as every recipe has a remarkable introduction - definitely one of a kind
From this day on I will only make her fries - her cooking method (up front stolen from another chef) is the perfect method for french fries. Never greasy!!!!!
I love her because she is down to earth & loves food - and because she refuses to be Photoshopped!!!!! (Hubby thinks she is hot too)
You have to make the mascarpone/ricotta crepes - trust me - I ate 4 at one sitting - num num num num
The Not So Good Stuff
Not really a not so good entry - more an fyi - read the introduction before making any of the recipes, it makes a huge difference when prepping and preparing the recipes
Not a lot of kid friendly type recipes - my kids had fun looking at the pictures and mentioning unflattering comments about what the finished product looked like (for example one picture reminded them of vomit & I won't tell you what they said about one of the recipes that involved squid ink pasta)
This is not one for the beginner cook. Way too many ingredients and steps that will frustrate the novice
She actually suggested using store bought crepes -- gasp -- much cheaper to make your own (Yes Jeff made them for me - you know I suck at making them)
Favorite Recipes
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Mascarpone & Ricotta Crepes with Rum Steeped Strawberries (to die for I swear - btw recipe calls for store bought crepes - we made our own and much better, cheaper & healthier)
Shrimp Pasta Rosa (we eat this weekly - sometimes with chicken)
Italian Tempura Shrimp - Now I suggest u spice up your tempura batter & forget the deep frying of the sage & lemon (icky)
Italian Breakfast Banana Bread - very moist & although I balked at adding espresso - it actually gives it an interesting edge (ok & I added chocolate chips - hey I have too - banana bread is wrong without it)
Who Should/Shouldn't Use
Obviously fans of Nigella will enjoy
This book is not for cooks like me -- I am much too lazy for the work involved
Would recommend this book for more experienced cooks who like to experiment and have access to hard to find ingredients
4 Dewey's (Quality is a 5 - but I base my review on MY enjoyment of them)
I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review
Truly stunning photography
Love the use of many natural ingredients
Plenty of unusual combinations that really work
Simple uncomplicated meals
The introduction is fabulous and interesting - one of the more in-depth introductions I have ever seen in a cookbook
The Shrimp Pasta Rosa is now a main staple in our weekly dinners. Its easy and quick to make and the kids love it. We also substitute chicken for the shrimp frequently as seafood is seriously pricey in Calgary (and don't get me started on how expensive dairy products are in this province - Mascarpone is $12 a container - thank god this recipe only calls for a bit of it)
A fabulous cookbook as every recipe has a remarkable introduction - definitely one of a kind
From this day on I will only make her fries - her cooking method (up front stolen from another chef) is the perfect method for french fries. Never greasy!!!!!
I love her because she is down to earth & loves food - and because she refuses to be Photoshopped!!!!! (Hubby thinks she is hot too)
You have to make the mascarpone/ricotta crepes - trust me - I ate 4 at one sitting - num num num num
The Not So Good Stuff
Not really a not so good entry - more an fyi - read the introduction before making any of the recipes, it makes a huge difference when prepping and preparing the recipes
Not a lot of kid friendly type recipes - my kids had fun looking at the pictures and mentioning unflattering comments about what the finished product looked like (for example one picture reminded them of vomit & I won't tell you what they said about one of the recipes that involved squid ink pasta)
This is not one for the beginner cook. Way too many ingredients and steps that will frustrate the novice
She actually suggested using store bought crepes -- gasp -- much cheaper to make your own (Yes Jeff made them for me - you know I suck at making them)
Favorite Recipes
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Mascarpone & Ricotta Crepes with Rum Steeped Strawberries (to die for I swear - btw recipe calls for store bought crepes - we made our own and much better, cheaper & healthier)
Shrimp Pasta Rosa (we eat this weekly - sometimes with chicken)
Italian Tempura Shrimp - Now I suggest u spice up your tempura batter & forget the deep frying of the sage & lemon (icky)
Italian Breakfast Banana Bread - very moist & although I balked at adding espresso - it actually gives it an interesting edge (ok & I added chocolate chips - hey I have too - banana bread is wrong without it)
Who Should/Shouldn't Use
Obviously fans of Nigella will enjoy
This book is not for cooks like me -- I am much too lazy for the work involved
Would recommend this book for more experienced cooks who like to experiment and have access to hard to find ingredients
4 Dewey's (Quality is a 5 - but I base my review on MY enjoyment of them)
I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review
February 5, 2015
Many of the recipes in Nigella Lawson's previous cookbooks are Italian-inspired, so it wasn't a complete surprise to learn she was releasing a book dedicated to Italian cooking.
The book doesn't stray far from her signature cookbook style – simple fonts, gorgeous photography, clear recipe layouts and the recipes are all introduced with some background information and/or a personal story from Nigella.
Although it's not integral to the 'cooking' part of the book, I love these personal stories before each recipe. I could sit down with a cup of tea and read through cookbooks this way! It's always fun to read how authors were inspired to create certain recipes or how certain foods take them back to a childhood memory.
There are lots of Italian dishes that I recognize, like lasagnas, meatballs and semifreddos, but lots of other completely new-to-me recipes that look promising, like struffoli, saffron orzotto and panettone squares.
Every recipe in the book is accompanied by a beautiful colour photograph of the resulting dish (and a few recipes have step-by-step photos). Ingredients are well laid out and instructions are clear and broken down into short paragraphs, with the start of each paragraph in bold. Each recipe is accompanied by a short introduction, which generally includes things like comments about the ingredients, the history of the dish or a personal story from Nigella.
The recipes are written in a clear, easy-going style and are just as pleasant to read for pleasure as it is to follow in the kitchen.
I found some of the ingredients listed were new to me, but I'm sure it's nothing that a trip to our Italian grocery store won't fix. The recipes are all very easy to understand and nothing in this book looks intimidating to attempt.
I didn't really need the 'Christmas section' – I don't think I would ever specifically look for dishes to cook that are Italian-specific for the December holidays.
With the exception of the Christmas section, the book flows nicely and it's easy to flip through and be inspired to cook something from every section to put together a delicious, Italian-inspired meal.
The book doesn't stray far from her signature cookbook style – simple fonts, gorgeous photography, clear recipe layouts and the recipes are all introduced with some background information and/or a personal story from Nigella.
Although it's not integral to the 'cooking' part of the book, I love these personal stories before each recipe. I could sit down with a cup of tea and read through cookbooks this way! It's always fun to read how authors were inspired to create certain recipes or how certain foods take them back to a childhood memory.
There are lots of Italian dishes that I recognize, like lasagnas, meatballs and semifreddos, but lots of other completely new-to-me recipes that look promising, like struffoli, saffron orzotto and panettone squares.
Every recipe in the book is accompanied by a beautiful colour photograph of the resulting dish (and a few recipes have step-by-step photos). Ingredients are well laid out and instructions are clear and broken down into short paragraphs, with the start of each paragraph in bold. Each recipe is accompanied by a short introduction, which generally includes things like comments about the ingredients, the history of the dish or a personal story from Nigella.
The recipes are written in a clear, easy-going style and are just as pleasant to read for pleasure as it is to follow in the kitchen.
I found some of the ingredients listed were new to me, but I'm sure it's nothing that a trip to our Italian grocery store won't fix. The recipes are all very easy to understand and nothing in this book looks intimidating to attempt.
I didn't really need the 'Christmas section' – I don't think I would ever specifically look for dishes to cook that are Italian-specific for the December holidays.
With the exception of the Christmas section, the book flows nicely and it's easy to flip through and be inspired to cook something from every section to put together a delicious, Italian-inspired meal.
November 4, 2013
Like many modern mommies, I rely on my Pinterest boards and phone apps for dinner recipes, especially around the holidays. The mobile access is critical since I often find myself determining my grocery list while at the grocery store, and clearly would not be lugging six cookbooks with me while shopping! So this weekend I was again at Whole Foods, again scrambling on my mobile, again trying to find a recipe--one that I'd remembered seeing in a cookbook, but was having a hard time pulling up since I could not recall the particulars. How I wished I could just have the book with me at the store.... And here it dawned on me: check out the cookbook...as an eBook. Ah HA!
So I did, and the experience was brilliant. I checked out Nigellissima, which did not have a wait list. I loved the fact that I could bookmark and hyperlink. I loved that the ingredients lists, pictures, and methods were all perfectly readable. And I especially loved the recipes themselves! They are simple, making for great weeknight suppers, and many can be easily expanded to feed larger numbers (Eggs in Purgatory, for example.) I will be checking it out again to revisit the Italian Inspired Christmas section.
So I did, and the experience was brilliant. I checked out Nigellissima, which did not have a wait list. I loved the fact that I could bookmark and hyperlink. I loved that the ingredients lists, pictures, and methods were all perfectly readable. And I especially loved the recipes themselves! They are simple, making for great weeknight suppers, and many can be easily expanded to feed larger numbers (Eggs in Purgatory, for example.) I will be checking it out again to revisit the Italian Inspired Christmas section.
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