Pasta Passion by Ursula Ferrigno
A few years ago I spent a decadent afternoon in a balmy Puglian agroturismo eating delicious home cooked Italian food including the best pasta dish I have ever tasted. Maybe it was the sun, or the copious amounts of complementary grappa we were poured that made that simple bowl of spaghetti with walnut sauce taste like food from the gods.
Various attempts back home in overcast England to cook the dish could never replicate the recipe or the experience. So it was with some excitement that turning to the index of Ursula Ferringo's Pasta Passion I find a recipe for Pansotti with Cheese, Herbs and Walnut Sauce. Bingo!
Called Pasta Passion for a reason, Ursula Ferringno packs over 200 recipes into this glossy tome. From simple Aglio e Olio (Pasta with Garlic and Oil) to ambitious Squid Ink Tagliolini with Clams and Mussels, this book truly runs the gamut of pasta dishes. To give you some idea of the breadth of the subject matter, there are seven variations of minestrone soup alone, alongside six versions of pesto.
Divided into sections on soups, instant pasta, everyday pasta, cook ahead and pasta to impress - you'll find classic dishes like Carbonara and a variation with saffron, Lasagne, or an open version with ceps and Parma ham. Rarities include Pasta Pie with Squid and Peas, Macaroni with Dried Tuna Roe and a pasta roll that looks like it could feed an army. Ursula Ferringo stays true to her Italian roots with explanations of the correct way to cook, serve and eat Italy's national dish debunking the myth that it's a fattening food with a section on light and healthy variations.
The opening chapter is an indispensable guide to making the stuff from scratch whether you add spinach or squid ink, although Ursula Ferringno insists every recipe is just as good made with dried pasta. With photography that makes your stomach rumble and some clever quick stir-in sauces, Pasta Passion is a pretty integral addition to any kitchen. And if you like walnuts, may I suggest you do try the recipe on page 222.
Nora Ryan
Various attempts back home in overcast England to cook the dish could never replicate the recipe or the experience. So it was with some excitement that turning to the index of Ursula Ferringo's Pasta Passion I find a recipe for Pansotti with Cheese, Herbs and Walnut Sauce. Bingo!
Called Pasta Passion for a reason, Ursula Ferringno packs over 200 recipes into this glossy tome. From simple Aglio e Olio (Pasta with Garlic and Oil) to ambitious Squid Ink Tagliolini with Clams and Mussels, this book truly runs the gamut of pasta dishes. To give you some idea of the breadth of the subject matter, there are seven variations of minestrone soup alone, alongside six versions of pesto.
Divided into sections on soups, instant pasta, everyday pasta, cook ahead and pasta to impress - you'll find classic dishes like Carbonara and a variation with saffron, Lasagne, or an open version with ceps and Parma ham. Rarities include Pasta Pie with Squid and Peas, Macaroni with Dried Tuna Roe and a pasta roll that looks like it could feed an army. Ursula Ferringo stays true to her Italian roots with explanations of the correct way to cook, serve and eat Italy's national dish debunking the myth that it's a fattening food with a section on light and healthy variations.
The opening chapter is an indispensable guide to making the stuff from scratch whether you add spinach or squid ink, although Ursula Ferringno insists every recipe is just as good made with dried pasta. With photography that makes your stomach rumble and some clever quick stir-in sauces, Pasta Passion is a pretty integral addition to any kitchen. And if you like walnuts, may I suggest you do try the recipe on page 222.
Nora Ryan
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