PASTA GRANNIES

VICKY BENNISON, HARDIE GRANT, $55

What’s not to love about an Italian nonna hand-making pasta? I almost love the little insert book where you get to meet the nonne more than the recipes. Almost. Mostly in their 80s – though Concetta is 93 and Giuseppa is 95 – the nonne all still make fresh pasta daily. The recipes are quite simple, though as Lucia (aged 85) says, “When you have great ingredients, you don’t have to worry about the cooking. They do it for you.”