An A-Z of Pasta

“A flat-out joyous celebration of the Italian noodle in all its splendid variousness—personal, deeply-lived, and utterly authoritative. That rare book that you will use for the rest of your life. A gift.  Brava! Bravissima!” —Bill Buford, best-selling author of Heat and Dirt

“I love this book. Every story is a little gem—a beautiful hymn to each curl, twist, and ribbon of pasta.” —Nigel Slater

“Pleasure provoking . . . [Rachel’s] recipes seem to beam her readers into the kitchen with her as she cooks, helping us to absorb the tastes, textures, sounds, and smells of everything along the way.” —Nigella Lawson

“…a renewed appreciation for a pantry staple…British ex-pat based in Rome’s vibrant Testaccio neighborhood, Rachel Roddy has devoted years to studying regional Italian cuisines, with an emphasis on pasta. Her A-Z guides readers through 50 shapes (narrowed down from more than 1,200 varieties currently eaten across Italy) and the most delicious and/or traditional ways to serve them. Each tempting chapter, from “Annelli” to “Ziti,” includes an introduction about that particular variety’s historical significance and a Roddy anecdote about meals eaten everywhere from a friend’s home in the Florentine hills to crowded trattorie hidden away down Roman streets.” —Hailey Maitland, Vogue

★ ”This is no mere collection of dishes, however; it is a specific window into Italian history and geography, thick with sense of place. . . . Roddy is a knowledgeable storyteller and low-key witty. Her lamb ragu with lots of herbs sounds amazing, as do numerous other recipes included here. This book is essential for anyone passionate about Italian cooking.”—Susannah Felts, Bookpage (starred review)

“[Rachel Roddy] highlights 50 varieties of pasta in this winning collection. Each entry includes a short introduction to and history of the shape being considered…Recipes feature traditional pairings as well as Roddy’s recommendations­­—ruote (wagon wheels) matches with ricotta and lemon zest, ziti is drowned in a silky onion and beef sauce­—and regional specialties are noted, such as the curly, two-dough gnocchi of Abruzzo and the orecchiette that’s handcrafted by women sitting at tables along a street in Puglia’s Old Bari. Roddy’s knowledge of and passion for her subject are evident on every page, and readers will appreciate the look behind curtain as Roddy recalls her own education, such as honing her ravioli-making skills under Rome chef Carla Tomasi. This would happily complement any collection of Italian cookbooks.” —Publishers Weekly