I had the pleasure of meeting Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi at their home when I took a pasta class with Katie Caldesi in 2011. At the time, Katie had just published a book called The Italian Cookery Course, which was one of my favourite books of 2011. Since then, Katie and Giancarlo have continued to be super-busy, teaching Italian courses at La Cucina Caldesi and running their restaurants, Caffè Caldesi in Marlebone and Caldesi in Campagna in the beautiful, quaint foodie town of Bray. Katie and Giancarlo are incredibly charismatic and passionate about authentic Italian food. I continue make my Lasagne at home to Katie’s recipe and I have been eagerly awaiting the release of their latest book, The Amalfi Coast, published by Hardie Grant, which they’ve written together.
I visited the Amalfi Coast in September 2005, with my soon-to-be husband. We ate like we’ve never eaten before and it was our last holiday pre-marriage and pre-children, so I hold onto some very special and precious memories of that trip. Like Katie and Giancarlo, we soaked up the people and the delights of Positano, Sorrento, Amalfi and Capri and this book brings back many wonderful memories for me. The people who live there are known as the Amalfitani, and the coastline is known as the Sorrentine Peninsula or la Costiera Amalfitana.
In her introduction, Katie mentions “the erratic local driving,” and yes, that is a memory I share and hold to this day, too! But I also remember the warmness of the people, the olive groves, the lemon trees, the seafood, and the largest gelato we’ve ever eaten in Amalfi! The ice creams was so large they obscured our faces in one of our photographs – I’ll have to dig it out.
In Katie and Giancarlo’s latest book The Amalfi Coast, you’ll find an overabundance of Southern Italian magic – Antipasti, Soups, Bread and Pizza, Risottos and Stocks, Pasta, Fish, Poultry and Meat, Vegetables, Desserts, Cocktails and Drinks and Cheese. They really have left no stone unturned in their quest to find the best food, the best people and the best stories to share with you.
I’m going to start with the Pasticcioti or Custard and Cherry Cakes as they look too delightful not to make and I’ll be back with a full review once I’ve immersed myself in everything Amalfi.
Here’s your chance to win a copy in the meantime -
The Amalfi Coast by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi is published by Hardie Grant with an RRP of £25. With many thanks for my review and giveaway copies.
Related Posts
A Pasta Class with Katie Caldesi
Review: An Italian Cookery Course by Katie Caldesi
Ren Behan
Ren Behan is a British-born food writer of Polish descent. She is a mum to two young children (6 and 3) and spends lots of time with them in the kitchen. Ren writes about seasonal, family-friendly food on her blog www.renbehan.com and about Polish food on her site www.mypolishkitchen.co.uk. She also contributes recipes and articles to online and print food publications. Ren holds a Diploma in Food Journalism with Distinction and has completed a Food Styling course at Leiths School of Food and Wine. Full Profile on Google+
I am a cheese lover – parmesan cheese is lovely – goes on all my pasta dishes!
Homemade egg tagliatelle, crispy pizza, seafood, mozzarella, polenta, proper sausages…too many favourite Italian foods to list!
I love making pasta arabiata.
Yes please! I had a wonderful day at Cucina Caldesi before I went gluten-free. I love Italian cooking despite not being able to eat pasta or pizza and try to get the flavours in other ways – this book looks like it would be excellent inspiration!
I love all kinds of pizza’s
lasagne is my absolute favourite!
I enjoy pasta with a homemade basil pesto.
I absolutely love Italy, my parents have been going to Tuscany for many years and also rave about the Amalfi coast. I love pasta, risotto, polenta! Love it all
Mushroom tagliatelle
boring but I love bruschetta with olive oil & basil xx
I love spinach-ricotta gnocchi with a simple (but good) tomato sauce.
I really love Lasagne
it has to be gnocchi totally yummy
We LOVE the Amalfi Coast so can’t wait to read this cookbook!
My wife and I both love BASILICO:-)!
The Amalfi Coast by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi sounds like a wonderful book. I’ve read about them before and would love to visit.
Hope I might be lucky again!
Cheers!
Liz
Strange though it may seem, my favourite Italian ingredient is the caper! Not any old caperi, but those from a stone’s throw away from the Amalfi coast, that grow in the Aeolian Islands, particularly on Salina. Like you, I have a pre-kid (though not pre-marriage) holiday memory of the Aeolian Islands with hubby, popping around Salina on a moped (so small, you don’t need other transport) and pretending we were on the film set of ‘Il Postino’. We live in Malta, where capers grow as well of course, but those of Salina are famed! I love the way they keep forever packed dry in salt; banishing those watery vinegar ones forever! Not visited the Amalfi Coast, but I can imagine very soon it will be redolent with the heavy scent of lemon blossom. Must try the Caldesi’s books before I visit.
I attended Cucina Caldesi last year and thought Giancarlo was lovely – very down to earth and utterly dedicated to simple food made with excellent ingredients. I’d love a copy of this book.
PS You brought back memories of our last trip pre-children, to Malaysia – very special.
Lovely review and how fab to be transported for a few minutes to southern Italy with plenty of sunshine and fantastic food. The book sounds great, but you’re also making me want to visit the Amalfi coast. Have never been but this is reminding me of the food in the Cinque Terre in Liguria – it’s the home-made pasta and ice cream that immediately springs to mind but also all those amazingly fragrant lemons!
Favourite Italian food has to be pizza!
Chicken Caccaitore is a favourite in our house!
Ravioli with parmesan cheese, black pepper and garlic.
Wild mushroom risotto – love it
Any risotto dish is good, though I love chicken and pea risotto <3
I love all Italian vegetarian food especially lasagne
Lasagne is my favourite, but I love all Italian food ..
Love Gnocci
I love any type of risotto and pizzas
Lasagne!
my home made spaghetti bolognese, its the best!
lasagne
Lasagne
Anything with pasta
I’m boring I guess because I love pasta and anything, but lasagne is my favourite
Good luck to all x
………..tiramisu
pizza
lasagne
Love lasagne
Pasta.
Has to be classic spaghetti bolognese! I’ve always loved pasta and noodles too!
Fresh pasta with a creamy sauce flavoured with basil and oregano straight from the garden.A handful of fat black olives while i am cooking washed down with a glass of chianti : )
I love penne pasta with an Arrabiata sauce and pepperoni with parmesan
Mums lasagne
All types of risotto
Gnocci with marinara sauce
Lasagne
My favorite Italian food is pizza.
Found your blog o n Pinterest. Since my husband is 100% Polish, I plan to return to your site frequently. Enjoyed your post about Christmas Eve – we celebrate the same way, including the wafers, pierogi, kielbasa, kapusta, etc. Wonderful traditions to pass on to coming generations.
Favourite food: tagliatelle alla crema
Pride of Britain
i adore everything of italian cuisine! my favorite is lasagne con spinaci. i also love to bake all italian mini semi-sweets, aka dolcetti . thank you for your generous giveaway! ✿◠‿◠) gina
There are so many dishes to choose from. I love pasticchio di macceroni. And of course, dolci and gelati are to die for, again which one to choose, there are so many fab cakes and pastries.
My favourite Italian meal is cacciatore, delicious
I love pizza with Parma ham on it!
Parma Ham
goats cheese & spinach pizza
I like pizza
Minestrone soup!
I love tomatoes!
Such a difficult decision, I love Italian food! I had the best ever Tirimisu a few years ago in Florence, going back to Italy in a couple of months for 10 days of glorious food and wine, so my answer may change then!
I love most pasta (as long as its not in a cream-based sauce!), but my favourite is lasagne
I love Carbonara but Italian is a little harder for me these days as I am gluten free
Love Lasagne
Lasagne .. love pasta in all its forms .. if i had to live on one type of food for the rest of my life, i would choose pasta. So versatile, easy to cook & makes such tasty, filling meals.
I love mushroom risotto
Mozzarella cheese and tomato salad
Seafood Rissotto
I adore Tiramisu and corny but true, Spaghetti Bolognaise
Pizza
Pizza, spaghetti carbonara, tiramasu ……… the list could be endless !
Pizza
I love gnocchi and also gorgonzola!
Tiramisu
I’m boring so have got to say my favourite Italian food is Bolognese
My fave Italian food is definitely gelato – nothing better on a hot summery day than spending hours prevaricating over which flavours to try out! I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting the Amalfi Coast but my grandparents have not long been and she’s an amazing cook, never met anyone else with more cookbooks so I’d get extra brownie points if I gave her this one
Pasta lenticchie with parmesan rinds mixed in. as a side dish for chicken parmesan.
spagetti bolognaise. i could eat it every day
The traditional flavour combination of basil, mozzarella and tomato with a twist of black pepper, salad leaves and a squeeze of lemon (Amalfi obviously!) is my favourite.
Fresh italian tomatoes. We went to the Amalfi Coast just before I conceived my son, so it was our last big child free holiday. Wonderful – we’ll be going back some day.
Spicy Italian sausages with fennel
I love to make Pasta Puttanesca.
Pesto sauce. Easiest and most perfect meal ever on fresh pasta.
Tagliatelle with salmon in a cream sauce
a really cheesy cannelloni
Pizza!
Simon.
Love carbonara
Lasagne
Tiramisu with extra wine!
crab spaghetti – although rather partial to tiramisu as well!
Love a nice simple caprese
Fresh Tomatoes and Oregano
Yum!
I really love Balsamic Vinegar from Modena
I love mozzarella with buffalo tomatoes and basil.
oOo it has to be Lasagne, it’s so yummy!
I like risotto with wild mushrooms or fresh spring vegetables
I have the fondest memories of the delicious gnocci I ate at Marina Grande in Sorrento last summer.
Mmmm Spaghetti Carbonara!
lasagne
My family and I adore Carbonara delicious creamy. Yummy
it has to be gnocchi
How can you choose just one favourite from such a wonderful world of cuisine? I love fresh pasta, the heat and olives inpasta arabiata, seafood especially in a wonderful risotto, Steak florentine, simple bruschetta..the list goes on and on
I love gnocchi!
SPAGHETTI CARBONARA LOVELY!
Lasagne