Food of the Italian Islands

From bestselling cookbook author Katie Parla comes Food of the Italian Islands, a transportive cookbook inviting readers through Sicily, Sardinia, and Italy’s lesser-known island destinations so you can sink your teeth into the secrets of their rustic, romantic dishes. Taking readers through the streets of Palermo where Katie’s great-grandfather was born, across the caper fields of volcanic Pantelleria, into the kitchens of Sardinia for lessons in ornate pasta making, and to the pristine waters of Ponza to dive for sea urchins. And no island adventure with Katie Parla would be complete without a jaunt through the Venetian lagoon on her fishing boat Laura!

But Food of the Italian Islands isn’t just an island journey with your favorite Jersey girl. There are also over 85 recipes, both original and reimagined, that showcase the allure of the islands, including pane frattau featuring Sardinia’s beloved flatbread; bigoli in salsa, a party pasta popular in Venice; coniglio all’ischitana, braised rabbit in the style of Ischia; torta caprese, Capri’s flourless chocolate-almond cake; and an array of pesto sauces from Pantelleria, Trapani, Linsoa, and Carloforte that will have you asking, “Pesto genovese? Who’s she?” There’s a whole fresh pasta section, complete with QR codes to demo videos, that will have you crafting Sicilian and Sardinian shapes in no time.

The cookbook’s feature pages delve into the rich cultural and culinary fabric of the destinations, providing historical insight while documenting island pleasures to uncover such as the fried delicacies dominating Palermo’s street food scene and an overview on the boozy choose-your-own-journey to making infused spirits. And obviously there is an ode to Katie’s favorite island ride, the FIAT Panda, which handles the unpaved backroads of the islands like a dream.

Katie Parla is a New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-nominated television host, journalist, culinary guide, and educator based in Rome. She has written, edited, or contributed to more than 35 books including the cookbooks Food of the Italian South, The Joy of Pizza, American Sfoglino, Flour Lab, and Tasting Rome. She co-hosts Gola, a podcast about Italian food and drink culture. In addition to appearing as an expert on television programs such as “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” and Netflix’s “Chef’s Table,” Parla hosts culinary shows on Recipe.TV including “Katie Parla’s Rome,” “Katie Parla’s Roman Kitchen,” and “Gola on the Road.”