Cucina Simpatica Robust Trattoria Cooking

"The strength of 'Cucina Simpatica' reflects that of the chefs: an emphasis on good ingredients prepared into hearty dishes, their flavors heightened with a generous use of fresh herbs, garlic, hot pepper, or ginger and the cooking method incorporated into the overall dramatic effect. However, their less considered efforts depend on heavy cream, large amounts of cheese, or too many flavorings--good theater but not good culinary philosophy. Still, there are many attractive, innovative ideas here, and not just the one for grilled pizza--the imaginative chutney-like condiments; the high-heat roasting of vegetables that caramelizes natural sugars and intensifies flavors; their variations on the fruit crostata, an unusual, rustic, free-form pastry."Killeen, Johanne is the author of 'Cucina Simpatica Robust Trattoria Cooking', published 1991 under ISBN 9780060161194 and ISBN 0060161191.