If you've been waiting for one Italian cookbook, this is it.

Better yet, if you've been considering one BATALI cookbook, this is definitely it. This is, by far, the best entry in his series of cookbooks, and I own them all. Perhaps the largest, certainly the most luxurious, and, for the general cooks out there, DEFINITELY, the most easiest, least-complex, easy to grasp. Another outstanding point, the recipies are not totally time consuming, something that is invaluable in this day and age when most don't have countless hours to prepare foods for the daily meals.

There are countless recipies in here. I cannot begin to address them all. But importantly, they are all accessible, feature tasteful, easy to find ingredients (something many cookbooks go out of their way to avoid doing - hello Nobu and Charlie Trotter), and outside of containing recipies written in a coherent, easy to follow manner, feature incredible prose and stunning photography. This is not only a cookbook you can prepare wonderful meals with, but one you can just sit down and PLEASURABLY read.

Definitely get this.You will not regret it and it has not steered me wrong yet. None of Mario's ever have, but this one is by far his best!

Beautifull book

I love European food in general but my favorites are Italian and French cuisine.
I bought this book because the recipe is simple, delicious and beautiful. It's definitely one of my favorite Italian cookbooks.
I also bought simple and simply delicious by Sylvie Rocher because it has recipes from all over the world.
I will recommend those 2 books to all my friends!

Recipes are too simple; this is not real cuisine

Although the recipes here are pretty much as advertised - simple recipes that are easy to prepare in your own kitchen - the fact is that the traditional Italian recipes presented here do not conform to most people's expectations of Italian food. The relatively simple restaurant style dishes that most of us have come to expect form American Italian cuisine are even more complex than many traditional Italian recipes presented here. And since these recipes are so simple, you are really relying on good quality ingredients to make the meal a tasty one.

Italian food isn't hard to make (which is one of the reasons it is so popular). Trust your instincts and look for something that doesn't advertise itself as simple.