For as complicated as some of the recipe names sound, don't be put off. Most of them are simple, easy to prepare, and easy to acquire ingredients. Really great flavors, and terrific meals to serve to family or guests. Highly, highly recommended!

My husband is the cook in the family, and has wanted Mario's "Molto Italiano" cookbook for a long time. It came in time for his birthday, and he loves the basic Italian & country-style recipes. He has already tried the spaghetti sauce which we loved and is ready to try more.
J. Hahn

I thought this book was ok in the sense it had some good recipes but if you don't live in a city like me I would rather have picked some of his recipes from the food network. I'm also a picture freak when it comes to cooking. Even though I don't follow a recipe to a tee I like to see what it looks like for each of the dishes. He only has a picture for every 2-3 recipes. Also, many of the recipes, unless your a true-italiano, i wouldn't cook a lot of what he has printed. But obviously my opinion only and everyone has different tastes

This is the first Batali cookbook I have purchased and I have to say that I am really disappointed. What a major mistake to prioritize quantity of recipes over quality. Yes, there are 327 recipes in this book, but I found that the recipes are bland or at the other end of the spectrum, too unusual. I prefer Lidia Bastianich instead. Her style of writing is more precise, and the results are absolutely spot on. The only reason why I have not given this book a lower rating is because I have certainly not tried the majority of the recipes. However, I am not sure that I want to waste my time.

Fast service and book was exactly what I ordered. Great book by the way!

This book is as slick and colorful as its author. The recipes are classic but there's plenty of room to make them your own. Some items may not be available in your area and it's made clear that ingredients may be substituted or omitted. Special equipment, though helpful, is not required. The book is authoritative yet simple enough for the beginner. The photography is stunning. There's a primer on wines. It has an Italian soul. What more could anyone want?Molto Italiano : 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home

Actually, this cookbook was purchased for my husband's birthday--he is the cook in our household. Mario is the chef he admires the most since he has a love for Italian cooking. Regarding the book, it's "wonderful!" and he can't wait to try all the recipes. (You can see how this was a left-handed gift!).

I'm an accomplished "home" cook. First I made "St Johns' Eve Pasta" which had easily a half cup more breadcrumbs that needed in the recipe.
It made the recipe. "Way too Dry"
Secondly, we spent an hour making Malloreddus with Fennel Seeds and Tomatoes with the saffron semolina pasta. The pasta is terrific, but once again 1 TB of red pepper flakes made me choke.

DIANE FRIEDMAN

Based upon my assessment of Mario Batali from his TV programs, I expected an intelligent, well considered, useful book. I have not been dissappointed. In fact I have found the book most helpful in presenting recipes that can serve as starting points for a number of recipes beyond the specific ones in the book. The reviews that suggest that many of the ingredients "required" by the recipes are esoteric and difficult to obtain, in my view, are mistaken. Just find suitable substitutes. In fact some of the methods are easily modifiable without sacrificing the wonderfull flavor combinations Batali uses. I recommend the book highly to anyone who enjoys fine food and wants to know how to make it.

I love Mario's restaurants, loved the Babbo cookbook, and was really excited about cooking out of this book. However, the focaccia recipe which was a disaster - the dough never came together, was very dry. I had to toss it before a dinner party and switch to another cookbook (The Best Recipe by the Cooks Illustrated people - fabulous). Then I tried the cannoli recipe and again the same problem with the dough - even repeating and weighing the ingredients on a different day with different weather again led to dry pasty dough that did not hold together. Did the reviewers on this site actually make any of the dishes from this book or are the reviews based on a quick read of the recipes and pictures? I would recommend this book for the fresh pastas (all are excellent, and very easy) and braised meats - maybe for some inspiration as the flavor profiles are very interesting - but would be recommend a test run of any baked goods before inviting friends over for dinner.

I hate to be the one to say it, but this cookbook is one of those grand collections of recipes that aren't worth the amount of dough you will have to lay down for it. While yes, Italians enjoy sardines and smelt, most people do not. Exactly how often does one serve whole Eel? While this book is chocked full of recipes, most of them tend to be for a certain type of cook, one who is highly experienced and has the time and energy to hunt down strange ingredients. If you love Mario and find yourself in the aforementioned culinary category, then by all means, add this book to your collection. If you're looking for simple and fast Italian, try Giada's Everyday Italian.

I just made polenta with salted cod and it's extremely addictive; I am on my third bowl. Some readers complained that it has too many recipes with "odd" ingredients. This book does have many recipes with octopus and squid and anchovies, and sardines. I think "odd" ingredients is what makes this book stand out. This is the kind of stuff I absolutely love to eat. And yes, they eat octopus and squid and fresh anchovies in Italy , not just meat balls and spaghetti.

If you want just standard meatball, then this book is not for you. But if you want to try something new, I highly recommend this book.

You're going to have fun with this book...it is colorful, illustrative, detailed and above all, the recipes (and there are many of them) are simple to make!

The risottos are flavorful and Mario's recipe for Besciamela (Béchamel sauce) is the most tasty version I've ever had. Sure, several of the recipes are not for dieters but for those special occasions, date nights or weekends when you have more time, give these a try. This book is the perfect choice for those chefs who deem themselves experimental and are willing to step out of their cooking comfort zone every once in a while....enjoy!

The book is great, but it's not full of quick and easy dishes. Some of the appetizers are a little easier, but they still don't use run-of-the-mill ingredients. The pictures are beautiful and the instructions are clear and concise. The fish section is a little outside of what I would consider cooking, as most dishes serve the fish whole (with the head, fins, etc...).

This book is so Mario... simple easy recipes that resulting in spectacular dishes...they plate just like at Babbo... ok, well almost... I find myself reaching for this book every Friday for our Bocce Ball dinners... Molto Bene!

Caveat: This book is NOT for those who aren't already comfortable in the kitchen or willing to have a go at something more complicated. This book is NOT primarily for those looking to whip up a quick 'Italian dish' after work. Yes, this book is weighty....but yes, this book is VERY worth it if you are looking to take your basics to the next level. I adore that fact Mario uses the authentic ITALIAN names for the dishes. It's evidant Mario's book references from his restaurants, but that's what I enjoy about it. It's full of easy to read recipes divided nicely into workable sections, and it also includes photos OF THE FOOD. This book, in my opinion, is a MUST for those of us who LIKE spending time in the kitchen.....those who have time to put towards creating quite authentic dishes that are guaranteed to please.

excellent cook book for beginners or pros...love it and love shopping on amazon

Mario, if you are reading this (or anybody else who may have an answer) I have made the recipe for potato donuts twice and both times the batter is more like soup. The recipe does call for 3/4 cup flour, and that you may use more as needed. I had to use almost 3 cups of flour to get it to a respectable consistency. Whats happening? All ingredients were carefully measured and weighed.

Mario, if you are reading this (or anybody else who may have an answer) I have made the recipe for potato donuts twice and both times the batter is more like soup. The recipe does call for 3/4 cup flour, and that you may use more as needed. I had to use almost 3 cups of flour to get it to a respectable consistency. Whats happening? All ingredients were carefully measured and weighed.

Undecided! I wanted to like this book more than I do. I frequently look through it when referencing a particular Italian recipe however I seldom cook from it. The book feels in both texture and weight very like the celebrated "Silver Spoon" released a couple of years ago in English and a book that I find more compelling to cook from than Batali's "Molto Italiano". Some of the recipes are straight-up traditional and others have the feel of restaurant cooking and while the sub-title claims "327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home" I think the skill level(and ambition) of the cook would need to be medium -high. It doesn't strike me as an everyday cookbook and it's too heavy to comfortably read in bed. In fairness I should say that I already have a dozen or so Italian cookbooks, four or five that I use all the time and that I am used to cooking from. I don't think Batali covers any new territory in the world of Italian cuisine but there is no question that he is covering his subject with love and authority. I do like the "Ricotta Gnoocchi with Sausage and Fennel" (p. 226) and the "Duck Scaloppine with Dried Cherries and Grappa" (p.329) but on the whole this is not a book I turn to with any regularity. Yet! Maybe it needs to sit on the shelf for a few more years next M. Hazan, E. David and A. Boni and the "Silver Spoon" before I get in the habit of reaching for it. Beautiful photography by Beatriz da Costa.

I like Mario. And I like his theories and concepts as they relate to good ingredients making good food; and cooking from scratch. But this requires time and energy. The recipes in this book have excellent flavor, but are complicated. These are recipes to make on weekends, or ahead of time. Some of the ingredients are hard to find unless you have a lot of speciality stores nearby. Learning how to properly substitute is essential if you live in a small town. His list of "necessary tools" in the back of the book is right on. I would certainly recommend following those suggestions. Mario is a great chef and the recipes are tasty. But start early in the morning.

Molto Italiano is delish! If you want more pesto recipes, try Mary El-Baz's "Simply Elegant and Easy Pesto."

I love Mario Batali and his show on the Food Network channel and I think this is a great book if you have plenty of time to shop and cook. This is not an everyday cookbook though, not a weeknight cookbook. I like Everyday Italian better for quick, easy meals. I like Mario's book better for special occasion meals and weekend family meals.

The one thing I always noticed about Batali when watching his programs on FoodTV is that he is very caught up in the originality and authenticity of the food he creates. As a master chef and owner of a restaurant, you'ld expect nothing less. Unfortunately, it doesn't translate well to a cook book. I don't know why I bought this book sight unseen. Yes, Italians eat a lot of fish (I'm Italian), and this book has plenty of fish recipes keeping with Batali's authenticity slant. Unfortunately, I hate fish, and most of the other recipes in this book are not simple in the context of having readily available ingredients in your pantry or frig. If you plan on throwing a party and serving authentic Italian cuisine, this book is for you. If you just want to make something different than the same-old same-old on a Thursday night, look elsewhere.

I purchased this book as a gift for a friend who works in a Chicago restaurant. He is enthusiatic about trying some of the recipes. The photographs are appealing and the recipes are easy to read and follow.

I thought this would be a great book
I enjoy his show on occasion
being 1/2 italian I looked forward to many recipes I remembered from growing up
but too many anchovies and octopus, eel and squid
I understand that they live by the sea but some of the pictures turned my stomach
I only found 20 or so recipes in a book of over 300 that I would ever make
I don't think I can find some of the ingredients and there were some I have never heard of !
I am afraid I will be sending this one back

Very lovely hardcover book with great photos, but his recipes feature items that would be a lot of work to get if you don't live in a metropolitan area (which I don't). I've had the book for a month now and still haven't made a dish from it, so that must say something!!!
Think I would rather watch him on tv. I do like him very much, tho.... a true chef.

This is a great book. Amazon prices and service is tops.

I received Mario Bateli's Molto Italiano as a gift. And a nice gift it was!

There are some recipes in the book that are not so simple. However, there are others that can be both easy to make and quite tasty! One example: Frittata with Spinach and Cheese. I have made frittatas before, but this recipe is very interesting and is a lot tastier than what I have made previously. Spinach, onion, eggs, grated parmigiano-reggiano. Simple components and a tasty result. Other relatively easy to make dishes include: spaghetti with green olive sauce, penne with cauliflower, chicken hunter's style, Roman style artichokes, broccoli sautéed in wine and garlic, stuffed cabbage, potatoes roasted with garlic cloves. I'm not a desert person, so the interesting desert dishes at the end aren't so intriguing to me as some other reviewers. However, some of these do look like they would be tasty for those enjoying homemade deserts.

All in all, some of the recipes are a little more challenging than I am interested in tackling. However, many more are eminently doable and tasty in the process. This cookbook is worth a look for those interested in homemade Italian cuisine.

I've tried 4 recipies out of this book and each one was either a total flop (christmas honey fritters, which were basically honey-coated balls of cracker) or expensive to cook and mediocre at best (braised short ribs in barolo). I'm not a noob cook but i'm 0-4 with this one and am about to bookmooch it in favor of the new Splendid Table cookbook. more work but i'm 4-4 out of that one!

I like Mario, out of all the "food stars" on TV, he seems to be, for lack of better words, "keeping it real". He's not as pretentious as some of the others. Besides, he has lived in Italy and speaks fluent Italian, which gives him even further credibility, instead of a self-proclaimed chef who's expertise in Italian cuisine is just watching his 3rd generation Italian mother make eggplant parmesan...
Mario understands Italian cuisine, he knows that the "soul" of its recipes lies in the simplicity of ingredients, natural and non-over cooked and over-processed sauces, quick dishes that anyone can replicate. Bravo!

I got this book a week ago and have read it from cover to cover. Out of hundreds of recipes, I think I might try 30 of them. Some stuff is too "out there" for my fiancee (I'll try anything) or I just can't locate some of the ingredients (been trying to find fresh sardines and salt packed anchovies online for months now...my local fishmonger never has them). The only glaring ommissions that I hoped (and assumed after watching his show religiously for several years) are recipes for a legit, real Italian artisan bread (or several varities) and same for killer pizza dough. Even with the ommissions, I enjoy the simplicity of the recipes and his commentary, which is as fascinating to read as his on-air comments.

Great book full of classic recipies. I have made 10 delicious meals from the book to date and each one turned out as advertised. Directions and proportions were acurate and easy to follow. Mario's explanations were a treat to read, giving background to really understand the traditions and history.

Mario Batali entertains us all on Food TV with his incredible knowledge of Italian Cuisine and now we can make these dishes ourselves. I use this when hosting parties because of the vast array of appetizers available. They are easy to make and you can find the products in most grocery stores. Maybe even the Boar!

It's a beautiful looking book, with several recipes that look very tasty, but it requires some ingredients that you certainly cannot find at your neighbourhood grocery store. Furthermore, although I am admittedly far from a professional chef, I do not think the recipes are all that easy to make, even if you can find the ingredients. But if you live in Soho, NYC and have access to specialty stores & are a pro in the kitchen, you probably find these recipes great & simple.

If you love to cook and eat Italian food this is the book for you!

To put this review into perspective for you, it is written by a serious student of cooking that has been actively studying food on their own for 25 years. I have been focusing on Italian food for the last 10 years. My favorite cookbook is "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute of America.

Each trip my husband and I take to Italy we find new dishes to love that we want to recreate at home. With Mario's book you can bring your vacation home to your own kitchen. His directions are extremely easy to follow, dare I say they appear to be foolproof.

My husband loves to look at the glossy pictures in the book and pick out dinner. If you like to see pictures of the finished dishes this book has plenty of pictures to satisfy that desire.

I use this cookbook on a weekly basis and have been pleased with every recipe that I have tried. Mario's recipe for Osso Buco (page 363) is worth the price of the book alone. My husband loves the Chocolate Hazelnut fritters (page 477). I believe that there is something for everyone in this book.

If you are looking to expand your Italian cookbook library, take a look at the "Harry's Bar Cookbook". It is written by the owner of the famous bar in Venice, and is a fabulous addition to any cookbook library for those that love authentic Italian food.

You cannot go wrong with this book if you love serious Italian food. This is one of the most used books in my cookbook collection. Even with 500 cookbooks to choose from I frequently find myself reaching for this book. Unlike other cookbooks, this one obviously had all its recipes tested many times. I have made more than 50% of the recipes in this book and everyone has turned out well. Kudos to Mario for a fantastic effort and an exceptional end result.

If you love to cook and eat Italian food this is the book for you!

To put this review into perspective for you, it is written by a serious student of cooking that has been actively studying food on their own for 25 years. I have been focusing on Italian food for the last 10 years. My favorite cookbook is "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute of America.

Each trip my husband and I take to Italy we find new dishes to love that we want to recreate at home. With Mario's book you can bring your vacation home to your own kitchen. His directions are extremely easy to follow, dare I say they appear to be foolproof.

My husband loves to look at the glossy pictures in the book and pick out dinner. If you like to see pictures of the finished dishes this book has plenty of pictures to satisfy that desire.

I use this cookbook on a weekly basis and have been pleased with every recipe that I have tried. Mario's recipe for Osso Buco (page 363) is worth the price of the book alone. My husband loves the Chocolate Hazelnut fritters (page 477). I believe that there is something for everyone in this book.

If you are looking to expand your Italian cookbook library, take a look at the "Harry's Bar Cookbook". It is written by the owner of the famous bar in Venice, and is a fabulous addition to any cookbook library for those that love authentic Italian food.

You cannot go wrong with this book if you love serious Italian food.

If you love to cook and eat Italian food this is the book for you!

To put this review into perspective for you, it is written by a serious student of cooking that has been actively studying food on their own for 25 years. I have been focusing on Italian food for the last 10 years. My favorite cookbook is "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute of America.

Each trip my husband and I take to Italy we find new dishes to love that we want to recreate at home. With Mario's book you can bring your vacation home to your own kitchen. His directions are extremely easy to follow, dare I say they appear to be foolproof.

My husband loves to look at the glossy pictures in the book and pick out dinner. If you like to see pictures of the finished dishes this book has plenty of pictures to satisfy that desire.

I use this cookbook on a weekly basis and have been pleased with every recipe that I have tried. Mario's recipe for Osso Buco (page 363) is worth the price of the book alone. My husband loves the Chocolate Hazelnut fritters (page 477). I believe that there is something for everyone in this book.

You cannot go wrong with this book if you love serious Italian food.

If you love to cook and eat Italian food this is the book for you.

Each trip my husband and I take to Italy we find new dishes to love that we want to recreate at home. With Mario's book you can bring your vacation home to your own kitchen. His directions are extremely easy to follow, dare I say they appear to be foolproof.

My husband loves to look at the glossy pictures in the book and pick out dinner. If you like to see pictures of the finished dishes this book has plenty of pictures to satisfy that desire.

I use this cookbook on a weekly basis and have been pleased with every recipe that I have tried. Mario's recipe for Osso Buco (page 363) is worth the price of the book alone. My husband loves the Chocolate Hazelnut fritters (page 477). I believe that there is something for everyone in this book.

You cannot go wrong with this book if you love Italian food.

I saw Mario in Pittsburg at a rare appearance. He signed my book and was a genuinely wonderful man. I sat next to him most of the event- will never forget the great meals he cooked right there!!
5 stars!

I saw Mario in Pittsburg at a rare appearance. He signed my book (have for sale under the collectible listings with free photos)and was a genuinely wonderful man. I sat next to him most of the event- will never forget the great meals he cooked right there!!
5 stars!

The recipes in this book are not only tasty, they are perfect for those nights when you're not sure what to make and relatively budget-friendly. I find that most of them draw on items that are already staples, so I don't feel that I am going out of my way to get ingredients that won't be used, with few exceptions (saffron? really, Mario...). The book also includes helpful little sections for reference, such as the doneness temperatures for various meats. I really like to have this sort of support when venturing out into things I wouldn't normally prepare. What I really delight in are the bits that tell you how to do things like make your own guanciale, though until I get a bigger fridge I'd rather just order from Salumi.

Yes, I love cooking too. This Italian recipe book has been very useful for me. I only have problem with ingredients, which I have to go to Little ITaly to find them. Well, I always want my cook to be perfect!

Easy to follow, a complete book (327 recipes which never end for a year), simple, and delicious! Not to forget the Desert... lovely!

I recommend this book!

This is an enormous book of recipes with a broad mix of regional and even microregional dishes. I ordered the book after realizing that my wife and I have about 6 months until we head off to Italy on vacation. I've watched and enjoyed Mario's Food Channel show, Molto Mario!, and decided that the best way to truly experience the trip would be to try a few recipes out.

I've noticed that other reviewers have complained about the scarcity of ingredients, but I've found no problem hunting down all but the most obscure ingredients here in suburban San Diego County. And Mario suggests worthy substitutes for ingredients in many of the recipes (you don't REALLY need Porcini mushrooms for the soup, button mushrooms will do).

Truth is, I'm not going to make 90% of the dishes in the book, but my curiousity of the regional dishes and the knowledge gained by leafing through the recipes will serve me well when I dine at Italian restaurants.

The book is huge, with well written (and concise) recipes, and beautiful photography. Mario writes a nice introduction for each food type (for example, wet pasta, complete with methods, ingredients, and variations).

This book is one of the pillars of my cookbook collection.

This is an enormous book of recipes with a broad mix of regional and even microregional dishes. I ordered the book after realizing that my wife and I have about 6 months until we head off to Italy on vacation. I've watched and enjoyed Mario's Food Channel show, Molto Mario!, and decided that the best way to truly experience the trip would be to try a few recipes out.

I've noticed that other reviewers have complained about the scarcity of ingredients, but I've found no problem hunting down all but the most obscure ingredients here in suburban San Diego County. And Mario suggests worthy substitutes for ingredients in many of the recipes (you don't REALLY need Porcini mushrooms for the soup, button mushrooms will do).

Truth is, I'm not going to make 90% of the dishes in the book, but my curiousity of the regional dishes and the knowledge gained by leafing through the recipes will serve me well when I dine at Italian restaurants.

The book is huge, with well written (and concise) recipes, and beautiful photography. Mario writes a nice introduction for each food type (for example, wet pasta, complete with methods, ingredients, and variations).

This book is one of the pillars of my cookbook collection.

My Mom is Italian and her parents were from Italy. I recently went to Italy and realized how fresh and simple ingredients make a difference. This book is full of wonderful recipes using just that!

These recipes may be simple, but they are not ingredients that one would find at the local grocery store.
I purchaced this cook book because I thought that it would be simple and "every-day" user friendly;not so simple.

i guess you could say calling this "simple italian recipes" could be a bit misleading. going into this expecting 300 recipes that you can whip up in 15 minutes with $10 worth of ingredients from a run of the mill supermarket could leave you a bit disappointed.

the first thing you need to know is that batali is fanatical about quality. this means that while some of these recipes may not call for a laundry list of ingredients, getting the quality he's looking for is going to cost you either time, money or both. for instance, he's not telling you to buy the $2 can of 4c grated cheese - it's the $15 a pound stuff imported from italy. and when it's time for a special cut of meat, you need to be prepared to make a trip to a butcher. depending on what part of the country you live in, some traditional ingredients could occasionally be hard to come by, so be prepared.

the second thing you may want to know is that if you're expecting a lot of traditional italian-american style dishes, this book doesn't have them. for the most part these recipes are straight from different parts of italy, unaltered unless stated otherwise. if you're not familiar with what constitutes different types of authentic regional italian cuisine, it would make sense to read through some of the recipes to decide whether or not this book is really going to give you what you want.

these 'warnings' aside, this book is amazing for several reasons. first, the aforementioned commitment to quality and effort that batali is so hung up on. in a society where quick fix foods are replacing any semblence of respectable authentic cuisine, batali's call to arms on this subject runs a lot deeper than your local grocery store. it's a call to a different way of life. you could say he comes off as a bit of a snob, but i think that would be inaccurate. he clearly has a passion for the art of italian cuisine, and almost begs the reader to share that passion with him.

with regards to the physical book itself, i have no real complaints. there are many useful photographs of the dishes - not all of them - but i wouldn't say it's lacking. the layout is logical and easy to negotiate. batali adds on plenty of little asides to mention things that are important to specific ingredients - like how to select a good eggplant or how to make sure your octopus isn't rubbery (boil it with a cork!).

and last but not least, the food. what can i really say here? the recipes are authentic, delicious and most of all inspiring. they make you want to make them - especially the simplest recipes. and this is where the beauty of these dishes shows through - the simplicity of the ingredients. with the exception of a few things that have many ingredients, batali tends to send you to the store to buy five or so items that you can turn into an authentic dish that lets you appreciate the flavors of the ingredients you bought. and since you bought only the best as i mentioned earlier, it tastes pretty darn good.

this book requires that you give in order to get back. incorporating this way of cooking into your life will most likely mean you have to change the way you do some things. change the way you shop. change how much time you get to watch tv at the end of the day. change how much time you spend in the kitchen. but something tells me these tradeoffs will be worth your while at the end of the day.

great book. recommended.

The recipes in this book were very good, most of the ingredients were available, an overall great Italian cook book.

I got this book for Father's day last year and we've been cooking out of it every week since. Batali's recipes are simple - typically no more than two to four main ingredients each - and require standard kinds of prep, like dicing onions and parsley or simmering a sauce. There's not a lot of work to do, if you know how to let go and allow things to brown. The recipes are close to no-fail, and everything has been delicious. The deserts are excellent too.

I've learned as much as I can about cooking Italian food since my oldest daughter was born, studying everything from details anthropological studies of Italian cuisine to massive hotel cookbooks. The cuisine is simple and tasty, with easy-to-find ingredients, and there's so much regional variation I can cover virtually every dietary preference or season. This is a perfect addition to my library. First, its easy to use. Second, and more important, it makes the variations in regional cuisine clear without being heavy on the pedantry. Northern Italian cooking is heavy on the meat and the butter, for example, except for the Friuli area, but the further south you go the lighter the food, the more emphasis on tomato, fish and olive oil. You can find recipes in this book that match those variations, and its easy enough to translate that into menus that match seasonal or personal preferences. Its a good book to get kids involved with too: the recipes are simple enough that my three-year-old can be involved from start to finish.

Two quibbles, which I find in almost every modern cookbook I look at, including the good ones. First, there's no wine recommendations. Some of the regional dishes taste so much better with the matching wine (and Batali certainly knows which, given wine importing is one of his sidelines) that I'm often left wondering what would work, aside from the obvious. Second, there's no menus - there's the primi/secondi-contorni/dolce distinction, for sure, but no suggested sequences. What are his service suggestions? Maybe I have to go to one of his restaurants to get that level of detail, but the book would become a thorough classic - on the level of Olney's books - if he included some wine suggestions and possible menus.

But all in all, you can mine this book for dinner parties and Tuesday nights alike for years.