Flavourful feasts of fun

Gino’s Italy by Gino D’acampo (Bloomsbury, £25)

Celebrating food “like Mamma used to make” and drawing on the culinary wisdom of “15 bossy aunties”, Gino shares authentic family recipes passed down the generations. So you can take your pick from 80 classic Italian dishes, including all the meals featured in his ITV series.

From pasta and gnocchi, risotto and pizza to meat, poultry and fish, it’s a welcome opportunity to master the best of authentic Italian food without paying restaurant prices. It’s also a touching tribute to Gino’s much-missed mum.

Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things by Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Murad (Ebury Press, £25)

The test kitchen team of Yotam Ottolenghi always ask themselves how they can “Ottolenghify” their latest culinary ideas, adding a surprise twist to something familiar. This latest collection celebrates vegetables and gives them a Middle Eastern twist, using sauces, dressings, salsas and pickles to add an extra layer of deliciousness, and leaving you with a tasty condiment to store after each meal.

Rambutan by Cynthia Shanmugalingam (Bloomsbury, £26)

The author has picked the brains of her Sri Lankan family to develop this collection of authentic meals from her motherland, with an added challenge because Sri Lankan recipes aren’t written down or set in stone.

It’s a selection of curries rich in pulses, vegetables and fruit, and half the recipes are vegan, though there’s also a chapter covering fish, seafood and meat dishes. Blending the traditional and the modern, Cynthia aims to demystify Sri Lankan cuisine, with mouthwatering results.

Charlotte Heathcote