Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef

The lighthearted title of this book captures some of Bottura’s whimsical nature but may disguise the thoughtfulness displayed in this handsome collection of recipes from one of Italy’s most celebrated restaurants, Osteria Francescana in Modena.

Although he employs modernist cooking methods, Bottura is not concerned with a display of technical virtuosity: he’s much more concerned with flavor interactions, sometimes using traditional Italian ingredients and at other times inspired by outside influences.

His dishes range from a reimagined mortadella sandwich that brings to the fore tastes of pistachio and garlic, to eggplant parmigiana infused with Thai flavors. Professional cooks in particular will be fascinated by his detailed discussions of his inspirations for the dishes and of the painstaking efforts to achieve precisely the effects the he sought.

Cloth. Color photographs throughout.