Gennaro's Hidden Italy By Gennaro Contaldo - Non Fiction - Authentic Italian Meals And Pasta Recipes For Family Cooking
Free 48-Hour Delivery
On orders over £35
Fast UK Dispatch
Orders shipped within 24 hours
Easy 30-Day Returns
Hassle-free returns on eligible items
Secure Checkout
Safe & encrypted payment options
Title:
Gennaro's Hidden Italy
Overview:
Gennaro's Hidden Italy invites home cooks on a regional tour of Italy's most beloved flavours. This 2026 edition, authored by Gennaro Contaldo—the cherished mentor to Jamie Oliver—translates years of Italian kitchen know-how into practical, family-friendly meals and classic pasta recipes. Rather than a collection of flashy techniques, the book champions approachable, reliable methods that slot neatly into a busy week: sauces that simmer on the stove while you help with homework, and pasta that emerges perfectly al dente every time. Structured around Italy’s travel regions, the chapters connect each dish to its place of origin, celebrating local ingredients and seasonal produce. Expect comforting pasta dishes, vibrant vegetable plates, seafood and meat mains, all designed to feed a hungry family without fuss. The tone is warm and generous, blending tradition with modern family life. Whether you’re revisiting favourites or discovering lesser-known regional staples, this book builds confidence, inspires experimentation, and turns everyday meals into small celebrations of Italian cooking. Illustrated with practical tips on choosing ingredients, seasoning, and timing, it helps busy families cook better with less waste, while capturing the soul of Italian hospitality.
What Makes This Book Stand Out:
What sets Gennaro's Hidden Italy apart is its deliberate, region-by-region structure that mirrors a coast-to-mountains culinary journey. Rather than isolated recipes, readers follow a narrative of place—each chapter opens with a quick cultural vignette and ends with practical, family-tested outcomes. The focus on authentic Italian meals and classic pasta recipes designed for family cooking makes it a rare blend of travel-writing warmth and kitchen-tested reliability. The author’s voice—calm, encouraging, and generous—demystifies tricky techniques: emulsifying a gloss of olive oil into a silky sauce, mastering al dente, building a ragù from a soffritto base, and balancing bold herbs with delicate pasta shapes. The emphasis on everyday ingredients—garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, fresh herbs—ensures affordable, weeknight success and minimal food waste. It’s not about chasing trends; it’s about timeless Italian cooking that travels well from your stove to your table, creating memories with every shared dish.
Who This Book Is Perfect For:
This book is ideal for home cooks who want genuine Italian flavours without fuss. It’s perfect for families seeking reliable, weeknight dinners that still feel special, pasta lovers eager to explore regional varieties, and anyone curious about Italy’s regional cooking traditions. It also makes a thoughtful gift for budding cooks, new homeowners, students learning to cook, or fans of Jamie Oliver who want to explore his mentor’s approach. Whether you’re feeding a hungry crew after school, planning a weekend feast, or building a starter library of regional Italian cooking, Gennaro's Hidden Italy guides you with clear techniques, practical substitutions, and a warm, inviting tone.
Key Highlights:
- Regional Italian recipes organized by travel regions for an immersive cooking journey
- Authentic Italian meals and classic pasta recipes tailored for family cooking
- Step-by-step guidance from Gennaro Contaldo, Jamie Oliver’s mentor
- 2026 edition with fresh takes on beloved favourites
- Accessible ingredients, time-saving tips, and pantry-friendly substitutions
- Perfect for weeknight dinners, entertaining, and gifting to food lovers
- Ideal addition to any kitchen bookshelf and collection
About the Author:
Gennaro Contaldo is a celebrated Italian chef whose life’s work has shared the heart of Italian home cooking with households around the world. Known for his warm teaching style and deep knowledge of regional Italian cuisine, Gennaro has mentored many chefs, including Jamie Oliver. In Gennaro's Hidden Italy, his voice guides readers through regional dishes, pasta mastery, and family-friendly meals that celebrate seasonal ingredients and everyday cooking. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience in Italian kitchens, he emphasizes simplicity, flavour, and confidence-building techniques, helping home cooks recreate genuine Italian flavours with approachable methods. This book embodies his philosophy: food should nourish family bonds, travel should be tasty, and home cooking can feel like a warm welcome from Italy itself.
Why You’ll Love This Book:
Authentic, warm, and endlessly practical, this book turns Italian regional cooking into approachable home meals. You’ll learn to balance bold flavours with simple ingredients, master pasta textures, and bring the comfort of a trattoria into your kitchen. The region-by-region structure keeps cooking exciting while building your confidence with familiar pantry staples. It’s a thoughtful gift for food lovers, new homeowners, or anyone who wants to explore Italian culture through food. And because it’s written with a mentor’s calm guidance, you’ll return to its pages again and again for inspiration, technique refreshers, and new weeknight ideas, turning every dinner into a small celebration of Italy.
Please Note: The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.
