Little Italy Cookbook

PBS viewers will recognize David Ruggerio from his series Little Italy with David Ruggerio, in which the gourmet chef and owner of several fine restaurants in New York returns to his roots in that city's famous Italian neighborhood. Little Italy Cookbook is a companion to the series, a compendium of the delectable traditional family recipes Ruggerio grew up with. Divided into chapters with names such as "Nonna" (grandmother), "Mulberry Street" (the heart of New York's Little Italy), and "Amici" (friends), Ruggerio's theme becomes clear: these recipes are culled from real people and real places, many of whom are immortalized in the evocative photographs that liberally punctuate the text. Polenta with a Ragu of Wild Mushrooms, Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Duck with Lentils--these dishes range from the homey to the sublime, and every one will make you feel like you've just stepped out of your own kitchen and into Little Italy.