The Italian Baker, Revised The Classic Tastes of the Italian Countryside--Its Breads, Pizza, Focaccia, Cakes, Pastries, and Cookies [A Baking Book]

This groundbreaking classic-now thoroughly updated for today’s modern kitchen-introduces the artisanal doughs and techniques used by generations of Italian village bakers. Carol Field spent two years traversing Italy to capture the regional specialties and then adapting them through rigorous testing in her own kitchen. When first published in 1985, Field’s impeccably written, authentic recipes were a revelation to Americans used to only stereotypical Italian fare. This latest edition, updated for the new generation of home bakers, has added four-color photography plus new ingredients and equipment sections, source guides, weights and measurements, and instructions for the natural yeast method. One of the most revered baking books of all time, this landmark work will continue to be a must for every serious baker.

Carol Field is the author of five cookbooks, In Nonna’s Kitchen, Focaccia, Italy in Small Bites, Celebrating Italy, and The Italian Baker, as well as The Hill Towns of Italy and Mangoes and Quince, a novel. She is an award-winning journalist and has contributed to Bon Appétit, Gourmet, and Food and Wine, among others. Field has won two IACP Cookbook Awards and a James Beard Award, and was featured on the PBS series “In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs.” She lives in San Francisco with her husband and continues to visit Italy frequently.

Vii Acknowledgments
 
Ix Preface
 
1 Bread in Italy
 
15 Baking Basics
 
15 About the Recipes
 
17 Ingredients
• The Basic Four
• Additional Ingredients for Bread
• Additional Ingredients for Pastry and Cookies
 
42 Equipment
• The Basic Three 
• Other Essentials
• Optional but Definitely Nice to Have
• Additional Equipment for Pizza
• Additional Equipment for Pastry
 
51 Techniques
• Techniques for Baking Bread 
• Techniques for Baking Tarts, Cakes, and Cookies
  
67 PANI

69 Pani Regionali e Rustici REGIONAL AND RUSTIC BREADS
70 Classic Tastes of Italy
103 Tastes of the Countryside
 
127 Pani Moderni MODERN BREADS
128 Vegetable and Herb Breads
146 Breads of Various Grains
  
159 Gli Avanzi USING LEFTOVER BREADS
160 Savory Dishes
174 Bread-Based Desserts
  
177 Pani Festivi CELEBRATION BREADS
179 Fruit and Nut Breads
191 Lightly Sweetened Breads
199 Sweet and Holiday Breads
 
223 Panini e Grissini ROLLS AND BREADSTICKS
223 Panini
238 Panini Dolci
243 Grissini
 
249 Pizze e Focacce PIZZAS AND FOCACCIAS
254 Pizza
269 Focaccia
 
283 Pani Raffinati ELEGANT BREADS
285 Sweet Croissants
290 Savory Croissants
298 Puff Pastry
312 Savory Appetizers
 
315 DOLCI
 
317 Crostate TARTS
319 Basic Tart Doughs
324 Basic Pastry Creams
327 Fruit and Jam Tarts
339 Nut Tarts
343 Chocolate Tarts
 
345 Torte CAKES
347 Ricotta Cheesecakes and Creamy Rice Tarts
354 Spice Cakes and Fruitcakes
361 Sponge Cakes
 
369 Biscotti COOKIES
371 Nut Paste Cookies
380 Butter Cookies
389 Biscotti
393 Cookies of Various Grains
397 Sweet Pastry Dough Cookies
399 Chocolate Nut Cookies
 
401 Appendix: Source Guide to Ingredients and Equipment
 
405 Index