Cucina Napoletana by Arturo Iengo

Arturo Iengo is a restaurateur who has lived and worked in Naples since 1975, so his credentials for writing a book on Neapolitan cooking couldn't be better. Naples is the home of the wood-fired pizza and a lot more besides. Delve into Arturo's new book, Cucina Napoletana, and you will find 100 recipes brimming with flavour that celebrate the produce of the region, renowned for its buffalo mozzarella and mono cultivar olive, to name just two.

Refreshingly, in these days when cookbooks can be ego driven, Arturo has stuck to the cuisine and not the man. There isn't even a photo of him.

CLASSIC AND INNOVATIVE RECIPES

The recipes make the most of the produce grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius. Arturo uses the simple cuisine of Naples (cucina povra) as a starting point. The recipes are 100 per cent authentic and easy to follow. They are infectious but sensibly Arturo has made sure that the passion of the cuisine hasn't got in the way of the food's preparation. The region's rich history is woven into the pages shedding light on the various influences from the monasteries and convents of the area, the visiting Bourbons and the royal households of the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

It's all in the detail, making this book and its recipes so worthwhile. Zuppa di fagioli, a heart-warming cannellini bean soup has an unexpected addition of basil giving it a deliciously fresh flavour. Petto di pollo aromatico is roulades of chicken with Pecorino and Parmesan in a rich tomato and herb sauce, not forgetting several good recipes for pasta, pizza and bread too.

The charming design and layout of the book shouldn't go unnoticed either. Hannah Mornement's evocative photography of Naples is spell binding and you can almost smell the fish on the stalls.

KEY INGREDIENTS

Features on produce of the region provide further illumination. Consider the Grazzanize family who have been making mozzarella di bufala for more than 100 years, where milking to the finished article takes just twelve hours; from four in the morning to four in the afternoon, when it is ready for shipping.

In Cucina Napoletana you will find simple recipes that relish the freshest of ingredients, bringing some Neapolitan sunshine to your table.


Publication details:
New Holland Publishers
£17.99
ISBN 1845379896
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