Rao's Cookbook: Over 100 Years of Italian Home Cooking

by Frank Pellegrino, Nicholas Pileggi (Introduction), Stephen Hellerstein (Photographer)

Rao’s, the hundred-year-old restaurant with a mere ten tables tucked in a corner of East Harlem in what was once a legendary Italian neighborhood, is one of the most sought-after restaurants in all of Manhattan. Its tables are booked months in advance by regulars who go to enjoy what The New York Times calls its “exquisitely simple Italian cooking” from traditional recipes, many as old as Rao’s itself. You may not get a table at Rao’s, but now with this book you can prepare the best Italian home-style food in the world in your own kitchen. Here for the first time are recipes for all of Rao’s fabulous classics—its famous marinara sauce, seafood salad, roasted peppers with pine nuts and raisins, baked clams, lemon chicken, chicken scarpariello, and on and on.

The recipes are accompanied by photographs that re-create Rao's magic and testimonials from loyal Rao’s fans. Here too is a brief history of the restaurant by Nicholas Pileggi and a Preface by Dick Schaap. Both will convince you that what you have in your hands is a national treasure, a piece of history, and a collection of the best Italian American recipes you will ever find.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Culinary, Italian Literature, Reference

182 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 1998

Reviews

[Robin Tobin (On the back porch reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Italian recipes. I feel I am apart of the family....

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could remember what book I read a few years ago that mentioned Rao’s. I immediately researched the restaurant and thought I would love to try it. Road trip. Alas, as I continued to research I found out that getting a reservation is almost impossible. The tables are basically “owned” by the customers. But during this research I found out that they had a cookbook. I said I would never purchase another cookbook but I put it on my wish list and finally bought it as a Christmas gift for myself this year. Before buying this cookbook, I had researched some of their recipes and found them online. Having never used any other meatball recipe except my mom’s (I felt extremely guilty) I tried Rao’s. They were delicious (another guilty pang). So now I have options. Also during this time period between reading about Rao’s and buying the cookbook their marinara sauce hit the shelves. Delicious! A jar is always in my pantry.

Rao’s cookbook is a beautifully laid out book. The paper used is somewhat slick and has a great feel to it. The photographs of the food are mouthwatering. One recipe per page. Clear and easy to read. A real pleasure.

I thoroughly enjoyed the anecdotes sprinkled throughout by Rao’s faithful customers. I looked every one of them up who I didn’t recognize. All quite successful. One gentleman named Stan Nelson even had Rao’s mentioned in his obituary. Another patron named Giuseppe Cimpriani invented beef carpaccio which is one of my favorite foods to eat.

I wrote out every recipe I hope to try and I was going to list them in this review but it got pretty cumbersome.

I had such a pleasant experience reading this cookbook. If I can’t get a table at Rao’s at least I have Rao’s cookbook. Bon appetit.

2/18/25 Update: I am watching Younger on Netflix ( I just love it) and on season 6 episode 5 at around the 6:58 mark Rao's meatballs are mentioned. What an institution. What a phenomenal series!!!!

[David Nammo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the classic Italian-American cookbook. If you want the kitchen recipes from an Italian home in New York, go no further.

[Dottie Legatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great history of a neighborhood restaurant. Wonderful recipes, especially the Shrimp Francese. Delicious!!

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently these are recipes from the famous Rao's in NYC. Overall, some pretty good recipes in here, covering the range of offerings you would expect from a more/less gourmet Italian cookbook. That said, we also did not find it to be particularly inspiring as a cookbook. Italian cookbooks are easy to come by and while they don't all paint the rich history of a particular fabled restaurant or neighborhood. The recipes themselves are a mixed bag of simple to complex (though mostly on the complex side, I think) -- with the typically sausage- and pasta-heavy meals.

I would recommend Betty Crocker's Italian Cooking instead of this. (Better focus on the food...)

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like owning this cookbook. It's fun to peruse. However, I find that I just go buy a jar of Rao's Arrabiata rather than cooking it up myself. (I mean, those are some darn fine jarred sauces.)

[Yaaresse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful lemon chicken recipe. This isn't fancy Italian; it's more home-style Italian. The book is well organized and recipes are clear and easy to follow.

I admit I don't cook from it very often because the Rao sauces are now in my grocery and so, so good.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy Italian-American style food--very recognizable as italian food you get in AMerica and easy to replicate

[Andee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good cookbook filled with classic Italian recipes. Nothing super original or unique, but mostly classic versions of the most common and popular dishes. There’s a reason Rao’s has been around for so long, and besides the consistency and warmth of the restaurant, it’s the delicious, feel good comfort food found in these recipes.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading through this cookbook, not only for the recipes but also for the commentary provided by Rao's faithful customers! Their gratitude for Rao's was felt through the page and made the restaurant really come to life in the reader's mind.

[Chad Bunch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cookbook with great photos, recipes and story. I would love to visit. Moved up on my bucket list.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 3 or 4 recipes I would make. Most seemed to be missing something compared with my family's recipes.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a fascinating book in how fairly basic ingredients with occasionally involved technique, gives you interesting results.

I've discussed some of the recipes with some of my friends on the phone and they'll say 'that sounds a little bland' since they're always surprised there wasn't an amazingly extensive list of ingredients.

I've found the book incredibly interesting to study, and it's well worth having it as a staple of 'Italian-American' cooking. If you want to see what Al Pacino thinks of as comfort food, comb through the recipes.

I'm not crazy about the stories or the famous people who visit, and some may indeed rightly argue it's 'overrated', i think it's close to the best example of fine southern italian/italian-american cookery with simple but elegant recipes

[Kali Cannizzaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic authentic Italian-American recipes that have become a staple in my home! The recipes are accessible for even the novice cook. I wish I could eat at the no-reservations-available restaurant but this comes close!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as actually going to Rao's for dinner, but the osso bucco recipe is one my in law's still talk about!

[Adam Lund · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red sauce Italian recipes from the famous NY restaurant. Reminiscences by regular guests and stories about the staff and customers make for an entertaining read.

[Leslie Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best red sauce!! Just like my friends grandparents' recipe from the olde world!