At Nonna’s Table

Paola Bacchia, Smith Street Books,

£26.00 (hardback)

You may have heard of Paola already from her previous books, Adriatico, Istria and Italian Street Food, or from her inspirational (and award-winning) blog, Italy on My Mind, which is a celebration of her Italian roots, food and traditions, with family recipes and stories. If you haven’t caught up with Paola’s blog yet, take a look here: www.italyonmymind.com.au

Reading at Nonna’s Table is her latest book, and as the title declares, it is ‘one Italian family’s recipes, shared with love’. Inspired by her mother Livia’s much-loved favourite recipes, Paola’s book is imbued with all the warmth and nostalgia of her blog.

Home cooking it is then, with 60 tempting recipes to take you through a whole meal in their warm embrace: with chapters on soups and starters, pasta and rice, vegetables, fish and meat, sweets and desserts. It really is a treasure trove of traditional Italian family food, beautifully photographed (by Paola) and diligently explained, ensuring that you can recreate the dishes with great success in your own home kitchen. From everyday lentil soup with basil pesto or pickled vegetables to celebration stuffed chicken or salmon with salsa verde, you’ll find recipes to suit every occasion, including some deliciously easy bakes and biscotti for the cake tin!

As much a love letter to her mother as a recipe book, Paola threads the food sections with delightfully poignant stories and reminiscences about her mother, father and family life. Don’t miss our next issue (out on 2 May) where we will be sharing some of Paola’s recipes from At Nonna’s Table.