From the mountainous reaches of Val d’Aosta in northern Italy to the emerald shores of Sardinia in the middle of the Mediterranean, the art of preparing pasta pivots around one essential fact: The sauce has to be perfect. Now food writer, cooking teacher, and Milan native Micol Negrin has written the first cookbook to explore the best, most authentic Italian pasta sauce recipes from a regional perspective.The culinary odyssey begins in northern Italy, where rich sauces are prepared with fresh cream or local cheese: Creamy Fontina Sauce with Crushed Walnuts and White Truffle Oil; Parmigiano Sauce with Fresh Nutmeg; Pine Nut and Marjoram Pesto.Central Italy is known for sauces made with cured meats, sheep’s milk cheeses, and extra-virgin olive oil: Spicy Tomato, Onion, and Guanciale Sauce; Crushed Potato Sauce with Cracked Black Pepper and Olive Oil; Caramelized Fennel and Crumbled Sausage Sauce.In southern Italy, simple, frugal ingredients meld into satisfying and delicious flavors: Sweet Pepper and Lamb Rag with Rosemary; Fresh Ricotta Sauce with Diced Prosciutto; Spicy Cannellini Bean Sauce with Pancetta and Arugula.The islands of Sicily and Sardinia take advantage of the bountiful seafood from the Mediterranean and game from the mountainous terrain: Pork Rag with a Hint of Dark Chocolate and Cinnamon; Red Mullet Roe Sauce with Garlicky Bread Crumbs; Rich Lobster Sauce.Negrin also provides a primer on saucing the Italian way, the basics for handmade pastas, the key to cooking pasta al dente, vital ingredients for every Italian kitchen, perfect wine pairings, and the best food shopping sources around the United States. Complete with mouthwatering color photographs and detailed maps of the various regions, The Best Pasta Sauces is like traveling to Italy without ever leaving your kitchen.
