Five of the best cookbooks

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Theo Randall

A cookbook born of lockdown, Theo Randall’s latest offering pays homage to the humble Italian deli. As head chef of London’s The River Café restaurant for 15 years, Randall noticed how specialist delicatessens provided a lifeline for Italians missing the food of their homeland. And while he’d long wanted to write a book about creating simple, delicious dishes using tinned and preserved ingredients, spending so much time at home last year, with limited culinary supplies, provided added impetus. Featuring more than 100 recipes, the book is broken down by key ingredients, many of them storecupboard staples, such as dried pasta, rice, olive oil, flour and vinegar. You’ll also find sections devoted to cheese, eggs, coffee and more. Recipes range from nduja focaccia with tomatoes and rosemary to anchovy and sage fritters and — perhaps the ultimate larder meal — spaghetti alla puttanesca. Dessert is covered, too, with granita, tiramisu, chocolate pots and more. While most of the ingredients are available in supermarkets, Randall has even included a directory of his favourite delis, too. £26, Quadrille