Starred review from June 20, 2022
“There’s nothing a home cook can’t successfully pull off, and, yes, I’m going to convince you to make your own pasta,” promises Australian cook Williams (Simple Cake) in this stellar outing. She starts with a primer on staple pasta dough recipes, modern and traditional ways to roll out pasta dough, and even tips for gluten-free pasta making. An in-depth section, with helpful photographs, teaches readers how to shape their pasta, whether smaller varieties, like farfalle and orecchiette, or larger ones such as strozzapreti. Once readers have mastered the basics, Williams offers up the recipes, serving a healthy balance of pasta classics like carbonara alongside inventive fare including sweet corn and jalapeño ravioli, or skirt steak with olive gremolata and fried gnocchi. Supplementing pasta dishes are “supporting acts” that range from appetizers and salads (among them a colorful mix of heirloom tomato, basil, and olive croutons) to mixed drinks and desserts (pro tip: pair the prosecco tower with the gianduja crème brûlée). Williams’s chatty anecdotes (“My daughter Opal once made a recipe for pasta vodka sauce... it was so strong that it ripped our heads off ”) are just as delightful as the recipes and handy tips (“Cook the potatoes whole, in their skins, so they don’t absorb too much water”). This is a must-have for pasta enthusiasts.
August 1, 2022
Williams's cooking is rooted in her family, and that is evident in her new cookbook (after Simple Cake). Her relaxed attitude and humor are clearly born from someone who is used to making dinner happen regardless of time, kids, obligations, or even the pandemic. She opens with the basics of making homemade pasta and sauces and all of the tips and techniques that help home cooks do so. The remaining recipes are organized by season and contain many dishes to fill the table, including noodles with seasonal ingredients, roasts, grills, drinks, and desserts. Before readers get overwhelmed, Williams is there to encourage them to come as they are, if that means using dried pasta, doctoring up a jarred sauce, or making a homemade Sunday dinner worthy of a nonna, she invites all to join her in the kitchen. Best of all the outcomes are delectable and mirror the food photography. Narratives include a variety of stories and wisdom that are amusing and informative. Williams even includes a love letter to pasta, which is hilarious and also indicative of why this cookbook will fly off library shelves. VERDICT Recommended for its versatility, humor and general deliciousness, this title won't disappoint pasta lovers looking to learn the craft of Italian cooking or just perk up weeknight meals.--Sarah Tansley
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