Anna Del Conte is the doyenne of Italian cookery, beloved by food writers including Nigella Lawson and Delia Smith. Her writing about Italian cooking is thoughtful and caring, filled with reminiscences of the food from her childhood and stories of how Italian cooking came to be. "The Italian Kitchen" brings together recipes from four of Anna's classic titles into a bible of classic Italian cooking. Mouth-watering recipes for gleaming antipasti, earthy risottos, gutsy pasta dishes and sumptuous dolci are lovingly described and accompanied for the very first time by stunning photography. Including essential recipes as well as lesser known dishes there are simple starters such as Classic Bruschetta; timeless pasta sauces like Pesto and Bolognese; classic risottos including Milanese and Pomodoro; and divine puddings like Mascarpone Pudding and Chocolate and Pear Cake. As the first cookery writer in Britain to specialise in Italian food, Anna's influence on modern gastronomy is far-reaching. Here she draws upon 40 years of experience to bring us over one hundred of her favourite recipes. Effortlessly stylish yet unfussy, they are the essence of any self-respecting Italian kitchen and provide the fundamentals of Italian cooking for a new generation of home cooks.