The Tucci Cookbook

A wonderful cookbook with authentic and delicious Italian food
I am a big fan of Stanley Tucci and this is the first cookbook of his that I bought. I don’t usually buy books or cookbooks unless I really think they are worth owning, but this one was a treat for myself. I love his show “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” and I wanted to try some authentic Italian dishes, so I decided to purchase this one and I love it so much. If you are a Tucci fan and/or love cooking Italian food, this is a must-have. I have tried several recipes and they were all amazing. I am now thinking of buying his other cookbooks as well.One of the things I love about this cookbook is the background story for each recipe. It tells me the history and the significance of the dish and how much it is loved by his family. I have tried the eggplant antipasto, the potato and cabbage soup, and other soup and appetizer recipes and they all turned out great. I can’t wait to try more pasta sauce, seafood and meat dishes.The recipes are simple and straightforward, with ingredients that are easy to find. Some of the main courses are more elaborate, but the instructions are clear and concise, so they should be easy to follow for anyone. Some of them also have pictures of the final plating, which is helpful to see how the dish should look like. And the bonus points for the photos of Stanley Tucci cooking. He also includes a wine pairing suggestion for each recipe, which is great for wine lovers like myself. This cookbook is not only a great source of delicious recipes, but also a glimpse into Tucci’s life and love for Italy.

Amazing Cookbook
Love this cookbook! Even suggests what wine will go with the meals.

Ben fatto!!!!!
Well done, Stanley and family!This has been a most fruitful effort in this delicious compilation of recipes and dishes from the history of the Tucci family.So much has been written on this book and I agree with all the wonderful accolades given. Reaching back into the archives of the Tucci family, much love and effort has been placed into coordinating the nuances and flavors that brought about this collaborative effort of familial Italian gastronomy. Having wanted to review this book, the time was never available to really share my words. Now, with all this snow that we’ve been having, we were given several perfect evenings to have a “big night”, and the time to share with all the fellow cooks, finally made itself available. Better late than never, I guess.That being said, I wanted to mention first and foremost about the most important recipe within this book, and that is “The Drum” (aka “Timpano”, page 177) from which most people will remember its debut from the now classic cinema “The Big Night”, in which Stanley Tucci and Tony Shaloub co-starred. The recipe has wonderful step-by-step directions and photography to help you feel like Primo and Secondo! We only make the recipe when we have “The Big Night” as our feature film, and it’s an all-day event for us. One cannot have one without the other; a nakedness of sorts to not have the complimentary parts.Making the pasta that will envelope and caress the filling within, is a true labor of love. Flour and eggs are beautiful in and of themselves, but as partners? Wedded bliss…………providing you invite salt and olive oil and water to the ceremony. Then you lay this exquisite sheet of dough into the pan and slowly add the salami, cheeses, eggs, meatballs, sauce, MORE pasta, MORE cheese, and MORE eggs! Mama mia!The aroma within your home will the first thing that people will comment on as they walk through your door. Give them a glass of wine (that is so perfectly suggested after the recipe portion, along with contact information to the winery, no less!), and just savor the wait and the anticipation. Plus, regardless of how many times you will make this, the “unveiling” is such a big deal, that you will enjoy it every time.It’s mountain high in size and so good!!! So very, very good!!! A really hot loaf of fresh bread, some butter to melt all over it, your wine, and you are on a journey of perfection, my friends!OK, OK……………..yes, there is more to the book. Obviously.I enjoy history and photography so the two of these are given in ample form at the start of the book as the Tucci history share the culinary wealth. Mario Batali gave a lovely Foreward so it made things just that much better to have someone such as himself, send you on your way.There are 11 food chapters, but there is a wonderful wine mini-chapter that gives you a little insight as to how to pair your dishes with the beloved grape. The recipes have a little introduction before giving the recipe, steps, and wine pairing suggestions. There are some photographs of the dishes but not of all of them. Also, this is not a teaching cookbook; it’s assumed that you have a somewhat solid skill set in the kitchen, and aside from “The Drum/Timpano” section, that is all you will see for step-by-step tutorials. But, come on, you can do this, right?Appetizers and Salads:Grilled Mozzarella Cheese, Antipasto, Vinaigrettes, Roasted Peppers, etcSoups:As Stan says, soup is cheap and easy to make so where to start? How about Chicken Soup with Chicken Meatballs? Italian Bread Dumpling Soup, and the all-time, everything but the kitchen sink, Peasant Soup! Boy, does this ever make a fanastic winter meal all by itself (with a little help from some bread).Eggs:Eggs with Tomatoes, Egg Tart, Eggs with Salads, etc. But as Stan states, they weren’t much of a “scrambled eggs for breakfast crowd” so these are different takes on the oval gift from chickens.Bread and Pizza:Fried dough, banana bread, pizza’s.Pasta:Cold Pasta (summer pasta), Hot Pasta, THE DRUM, Cannelloni, Fettucine, Tomato Sauces, etcRice and Risotto:(these are kind of the same thing but vary in preparation) Rice by itself, with veggies, with fish, etc.Veggies and Side Dishes:The Puree of White Beans with Rosemary and Garlic is dee-vine! Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary? Beyond fantastic. There is an Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole with Potatoes that I’m planning on that sounds great as I’m not one for eggplant but the ingredients sound interesting.Poultry:Obviously, there are tons of chicken dishes here but the “Chicken on a Brick with Lemon and Rosemary” is great. I purchased some bricks from our local Lowes, which are the flat and square ones as opposed to the rectangular ones, because they have a great surface area. I scrubbed them by hand then threw the bricks into the dishwasher; I still wrap aluminum foil around them before I use them. There is also a duck recipe for those who enjoy that type of game.Fish and Shellfish:Bluefish, Swordfish, Clams, Salmon, Tuna and other creatures of the sea are in this chapter. Not being a big fish person, I haven’t tried any of these but there are plenty to choose from.Desserts:Oh my word…………….desserts! Cookies, Cannoli’s, Fried Dough, Cakes, Tiramisu, etc round out the end of your meal. But these are all light desserts, very unlike the American meal finales, but you will find them a pleasant and light/airy way of ending your meal.This was a thoroughly enjoyable Italian cookbook with little twists and fancies that will make your meal memorable. Ciao!

Centerpiece cookbook
For a special Niece I assembled an Italian basket for her bridal shower. She was over the moon to receive this book. Her Mom and Mother-in-law already owned a copy. I knew it would be a winner. It has great photography and the recipes were clear and made me want to try to make them. The recipe titles are in Italian and English.

sehr leckere Rezepte

great recipies

Recipes are direct and simple and full of flavour using basic ingredients. Lots of great photos.