
Over the last 10 years I have built an amazing collection of Italian cookbooks that I am really proud of; both Italian and English written. There is nothing I love to do more than relax with a new edition, read it front to back like a novel while absorbing as much inspiration for my everyday home cooking. Sometimes, I get asked to advise on which Italian cookbook someone couldn’t live without. But its not always an easy question to answer as its really dependant on the individual and what they are looking for. Here I have grouped my favourites depending on the cook books general theme. I hope you find this useful and find your dream Italian cookbook.
General Italian cook books – all these books have a great selection of recipes highlighting the best in Italian cooking.
- The Silver Spon
- Made in Italy – Giorgio Locatelli
- Contemporary Eataly
- Recipes from an Italian butcher
- Made at Home – Giorgio Locatelli
- 30 – River Cafe
Italian food – ‘encyclopedias’ – These books are fantastic to give you an understanding of Italian food terminology and Italian translation.
- An encyclopaedia of Italian regional cooking
- Gastronomy of Italy – Anna del Conte
Italian Regional cooking collections – these cook books are focused on describing Italian regional cooking.
- Pasta – by Antonio Carluccio
- Classic food of Northern Italy – Anna del Conte
- La Cucina – Regional cooking of Italy
- Food of Italy – Caludia Roden
- The Italian cookery course – Katie Caldesi
Italian food travel books – These books are great guides on what to eat in regional Italy when on your travels.
- Eating my way through Italy – Elizabeth Minchilli
- Italy for the Gourmet Traveller – Fred Plotkin
Cookbooks by region
Venetian cooking
- A Table in Venice – Skype McAlpine
- Venice -Recipes lost and found – Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi
- Venice Four Season of home cooking – Russell Norman
- Veneto – Valeria Necchio
Roman Cooking
- As the Romans do – Eleanora Galasso
- Two Kitchens – Rachel Roddy
- Tasting Rome – Katie Parla
Tuscan cooking
- Florentine – Emiko Davies
- Aquacotta – Emiko Davies
- Tuscany -Katie Caldesi
- Tuscany – Phaidon
Southern Italian cooking
- Puglia – Phaidon
- Naples and the Amalfi coast – Phaidon
- Sicily – Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi
- Sicily – Phaidon
You may also be interested to read about my top 5 Italian cookbooks for 2017.