Photo by Clare Winfield
While I do aim for variety in selecting the titles for CookbookCorner, I can’t pretend that my choices are anything other than highly subjective and, frankly, I don’t see how it could be any other way. I bring you the books that I want in my life, my kitchen and on my shelves. Nothing is pre-ordained, though: my final pick from the many, many books that are published weekly depends entirely on how I respond to the pages within them. Of course, there are certain subjects, certain writers, certain cuisines that I am predisposed to feel favourably towards, but I love the thrill of discovery — of new voices, of territories hitherto unfamiliar to me — and the joy of an unexpected find. Not that Ursula Ferrigno or her new book of recipes from Venice and the Veneto comes into that latter category. Far from it! Indeed, I try not to keep returning (in book form, at any rate) to what is one of the Cities of My Heart (the other two being Sydney and London: all cities on the water, in their very different ways) as my collection of Venetian cookbooks, in both English and Italian, is already unwieldy, to say the least. But I find it hard to stay away, and I feel the same way about Ursula Ferrigno: her recipes are always reliable, and she has a brightness of spirit that I can’t help gravitating toward. Her work is underpinned by authority and experience, and conveyed with exuberance and enthusiasm: a winning combo!
I could happily live off all the recipes in Cucina del Veneto, but I shall do my duty and give you a brisk (but buoyant) shortlist, kicking off with a favourite of mine (I wrote about the great Anna del Conte’s version in my first book) that I admit may not have universal appeal, the Chicken Liver Cicchetti/Crostini. Then there’s her Radicchio in Saor, the most beautiful braise you could ever imagine, in which garnet spears of radicchio are cooked in what you could describe as a sweet-and-sour dressing, combining onions, plumped raisins and pinenuts; Prawns & White Beans Venetian Style (another longtime Anna-inspired favourite of mine, often known as 'I Ricchi e I Poveri' (the Rich and the Poor); the joyous Fish Soup with Macaroni; Risotto with Courgettes & Mozzarella (and now’s the time); Venetian Pasta with Duck; Radicchio Lasagne; Polenta with Skewered Meats; Spicy Sausage & Polenta Lasagne; Pork Cooked in Milk, which sounds so much better in Italian, where it’s simply Maiale al Latte, though it tastes wonderful in any language; Roasted Turkey with Pomegranate; Slow-Cooked Courgettes with Mint; Spring Artichokes with Young Peas; and a robust gratin of Potatoes with Mushroom. And from the sweet side of things, I must let you know about the Apple Fritters with Grappa, the Deep-Fried Custard Bites (you know you want to!) and a splendid Pandoro. I don’t know that I want to make my own Panettone, but I can’t wait to try my hand at this Pandoro, its dried-fruit-free cousin.
This is also a beautiful book, studded with gorgeous photos of this exquisite city and environs, making old sights a fresh pleasure — and from its pages, I’ve chosen the irresistible Potato & Gorgonzola Focaccia.
Cucina del Veneto: Delicious Recipes from Venice and Northeast Italy by Ursula Ferrigno, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£22).
Photography by Clare Winfield © Ryland Peters & Small.
