Italian American: Red Sauce Classics and New Essentials

Drawing on the food of Don Angie, their Michelin-starred NYC restaurant, Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli offer a fresh perspective on Italian American food, one that embraces red sauce favorites as well as more contemporary ideas.

The new ideas here are not radical departures. They're the kind of adaptations one would expect in a cuisine that has evolved alongside many other influences in the US. Some dishes are simply a matter of applying tradition in a new way, and others showcase the possibility of new ingredients in familiar favorites.

Grandma Rito's marinated roasted peppers appear just one page before shrimp cocktail alla puttanesca. There's a prosciutto and melon salad recalling the familiar restaurant staple, but this one is dressed with tamarind, hazelnuts, and feta. Ricotta gnudi comes with peanuts, cilantro, and roasted grapes. Looking for tiramisu? Here's one incorporating the flavors of Vietnamese iced coffee.

Smart and appealing.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.