Stefano de Pieri loves food – particularly of the Italian variety. And this attractive book features his modern takes on classic dishes such as yellow polenta with braised tripe, baccalà mantecato (creamed cod) and tortellini with prosciutto and chicken. Earl Carter’s wonderful photographs convey the simple allure of these dishes perfectly, and simple really is the operative word here – you won’t need to slave for hours over a hot stove or needlessly fuss with presentation to impress people with these dishes. There are interesting chapters on Italian wine and cheese, as well as a chapter dedicated to preserves.