Food of the Italian South: Recipes for Classic, Disappearing, and Lost Dishes: A Cookbook

What a nice thing to finally see, a book that might preserve many recipes of the south that may disappear someday. Having travelled extensively in Campagna and Calabria I was a bit disappointed to see many recipes missing from this book that attempts to cover regions far too grande to give adequate attention to all of the fabulous recipes that are so very unique to these regions. I was excited to get it but disappointed to miss so many dishes I had sampled at the homes of family and friends. Overall a very attractive book with lots of photos but barely scratching the surface of the exciting foods of the south.

I bought Katie Parla's most recent and amazing cookbook because we are planning a trip to Puglia this summer. We also have family roots in southern Italy so I'm happy to learn more about the food and culture of this wonderful region. This cookbook is a must for anyone who loves Italian cuisine but wants to learn more about the stories behind it. Parla has done a fantastic job documenting these stories as well as the recipes. I've read the book cover to cover already and bookmarked all the recipes that I plan to make some day. Grazie!

After much anticipation, Taste of the Italian South arrived yesterday. Having traveled the region and spending time in Basilicata, I couldn’t wait to have a book that unwrapped the culinary wonders of the region. It did not disappoint. I spent much of the evening reading through the stories and recipes and have started to craft my cooking plan. The book is organized well and the recipes highlight the region in a wonderful and thoughtful way. Items like a simple Frittata al Fiori are sure to land on a mother’s day brunch while Cicatielli con Pulieio will add a refreshing yet spicy pasta to my mid day meal. If you are a fan of Italian cooking and have not explored this region, Katie Parla’s book is an excellent place to start the journey.

I loved Katie Parla's first book Tasting Rome and was so excited to receive Foods of the Italian South. So excited, apparently, that I accidentally ordered it on two separate occasions and, to my surprise, received two on release day. The more the merrier! Each page is a perfect blend of history, culture and cuisine. Katie highlights recipes born out of necessity and the south's desire to make the most of any ingredient, while always educating the reader on the impact Italy's history has had on food. It will surely inspire you to visit southern Italy, and definitely to taste the foods from the region. I can't wait to cook my way through it, likely starting with the robust pasta section. :D

Another absolutely beautiful and thoughtful book by Katie Parla. We absolutely loved her first book, Tasting Rome, and found her recipes to be really accessible and easy to follow. Same here with Food of the Italian South. We can't wait to get cooking! We love how Katie weaves in tales of her own family's history and journey - stories so many of us with similar roots can relate to - throughout the book. The book is well researched - no doubt from her laborious travels through the region. The book is both cookbook and a guidebook to overlooked places. She honors the people she has met along her travels with such beautiful stories and photos...I found myself laughing and smiling and crying. If you love food, history, travel and discovering new and old tastes, you will love this book. Brava!

Simply adore this book! Katie brings the Italian South to life through her stories and recipes - have read it cover to cover and can't wait to cook from all those dog-eared pages. So wonderful to see this mostly overlooked area of Italy come alive in these pages. And she even has a recipe for the illusive Liquirizia for which I have been searching since spending a week in Calabria - long summer nights spent overlooking the sea sipping this amazing digestivo for hours after dinner. Grazie for bringing back that wonderful memory!

Katie's passion and respect for the food and culture of Southern Italy is rendered beautifully in Food of the Italian South. I really enjoyed Katie's first cookbook "Tasting Rome". "Food of the Italian South" is a step up in the quality of the content, rendering of images and depth of detail.I am naturally drawn to the pastas which do not disappoint. The simplicity of the ingredients going into Carrati con Ricotta e Noci belies the complexity and depth of flavor that comes through in the final product. There is no excuse for a boring weeknight dinner when you can literally make this in the time it takes to boil the pasta. I know that Orecchiette con Burrata, Pomodorini e Pesto is destined to be part of my heavy rotation for dinner parties as well as a solo treat. I can't wait for spring to fully take hold so I can shop the farmer's markets for the best ingredients to delve further into the recipes contained here. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. You won't be disappointed.

I started reading my mom's copy of this book and had to buy a copy for myself it was so compelling. Great writing, amazing description- feels like you are right there with the author as she travels through the southern regions of Italy (excluding Sicily). Even if one didn't cook a single recipe, this cook book would be worth the read. However there are many very doable recipes and the directions are very good throughout. The author points out where the recipes might stray from the real thing, and explains why (for example, a baked eggplant recipe where she recommends about half as much oil as they might use in Naples). I would recommend this book as travel literature alone, plus you get some amazing recipes to boot.

Great recipes and history from southern ItalyWell written easy to follow

Very pretty book with great ideas. Lots of recipes have standard ingredients.

Like and its a cookbook

This book is filled with traditional and interesting food and drink from off the beaten path in southern Italy. A must read.

Beautiful book! Well written and great recipes.