Cucina Simpatica brings to home cooks the luscious, lusty food of Al Forno, the acclaimed restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island. Since opening Al Forno in 1980, owners-chefs Johanne Killeen and George Germon have won a loyal following, rave reviews, and many awards for their superb food. The recipes reflect their down-to-earth style of hearty yet simple trattoria and Italian home cooking. Included are detailed instructions for making their renowned grilled pizza. While Cucina Simpatica is organized by courses—from starters, soups, salads, bruschetta, crostinis, and polenta to pizzas, pastas, grills, roasts, braises, vegetables, and desserts—the authors urge readers to be flexible and make their own choices. A grilled pizza accompanied by a small salad may suffice for dinner. Pasta can be served in small portions as a first course or in larger amounts as the focus of the meal. A platter of roasted vegetables makes a fine meatless meal. Cucina Simpatica inspires home cooks to prepare the rustic, robust Italian-style food from one of America's finest restaurants.

Italian-American dishes are what we crave and what we make, what we order and what we wax rhapsodic about. The last century has seen hundreds of inspired new dishes take their place at the table alongside traditional preparations, resulting in a cuisine that is as current as it is classic. At last, here is the place to look for the tastiest and most definitive renderings of Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Steak Florentine, Pasta alla Primavera, Linguine with Clam Sauce, Spinach with Pignol is, Tiramisu, and all the other treasures of the Italian-American table. In these pages, America's premier restaurant critic, John Mariani, and his wizard-in-the-kitchen wife, Galina Mariani, update and perfect all the classics in lighter, less creamy-and-cheesy versions made with the freshest of ingredients. The Marian is make a convincing case that Italian-American cooking, far from being a watered-down version of Italian cookery, is a full-fledged cuisine in its own right. In fact, as they show in a fascinating introduction, many elements of Italian cuisine in Italy today are actually imports from the Italian-American repertoire. In 250 recipes, they reveal not only how glorious that repertoire is but also how its basic elements may be used in innovative new ways - in a Risotto with Apples and Saffron, for example, or a Pork Roast with Fennel. This is a feast of food, from antipasti and soups through pastas and pizzas all the way to dessert, and also of history and folklore, in the dozens of sidebars and archival photographs that bring to life the family restaurants and home kitchens where these magnificent ethnic dishes are prepared and enjoyed.

In On Top of Spaghetti, Johanne Killeen and George Germon, owners of the legendary restaurant Al Forno in Providence, R.I., and authors of Cucina Simpatica, offer up 100 new recipes for everyone's favorite tried–and–true dish –– pasta. Pasta is the culinary equivalent of the little black dress. It's simple and elegant, you can dress it up or down, and it never goes out of style. In On Top of Spaghetti, Johanne Killeen and George Germon present a collection of 100 pasta recipes, including new and old favorites such as Pasta Shells with Spicy Sausage Red Sauce, Fusilli with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto, and Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Cinnamon, and Mint. In Cucina Simpatica, Johanne and George introduced Americans to grilled pizza. With On Top of Spaghetti they will reintroduce home cooks to the joys of pasta. Classic recipes are elevated to new heights, and innovative new dishes are sure to be returned to again and again.

Italian in its inspiration, American in its outlook, Cucina Fresca brings a vivid new style to the earthy simplicity of Italy's culinary tradition. This is food at its freshest and simple to prepare.

For more than 2,000 years, Jewish families have lived in Italy. Cucina Ebraica tells the saga of the Italian Jews through their food. Their history--and their cuisine--is a fascinating melange of Middle Eastern, Spanish, and Sephardic influences, which celebrated chef Joyce Goldstein painstakingly traces through ingredients and culinary techniques.