Italian Farmer's Table

Book excerpt: The Italian Farmer’s Table is a sumptuously illustrated cookbook featuring authentic recipes from over thirty agriturismi (working family farms that provide room & board to travelers) in northern Italy, where the cuisine served epitomizes the farm-fresh movement underway in the United States, the UK, and beyond. Visitors to agriturismi, who come from all over Europe and North America, indulge in such delights as fresh ricotta cheese made the same morning, prosciutto from free-range pigs, and organic vegetables picked minutes before serving. Professional chefs who are fluent in Italian, Matteo and Melissa have transcribed more than 150 authentic northern Italian recipes from these family farms—few of which are found in cookbooks available outside of Italy. Full-color photographs and anecdotes about the farms and their residents bring Italy’s glorious countryside to life and complement such recipes as Onion Tarts, Fried Butternut Squash Ravioli, Piemontese Beef Stew, and Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Walnut Butter. All recipe ingredients are given in both U.S. and metric measurements.