Italian Street Food: Recipes from Italy’s Bars and Hidden Laneways is finally available, and I just received my copy! Some of you may remember in February I had the pleasure of being a ‘recipe tester’ for Paola Bacchia of Italy on my Mind for this book. I tested the recipe for Fiadoni Abbruzzesi which were squisito. I have made them several times now and can’t wait to try more of the recipes.
A country’s street food is usually reflective of its ‘real’ food…what people actually eat. Paola draws on her own experiences growing up in an Italian family, and also her frequent ‘on site’ experiences travelling the back streets of Italian cities. Many of the recipes are similar to things I grew up eating too. Besides the yummy and genuine recipes, the book is visually stunning. Most of the photos were taken by Paola. The cover is not a teaser-the inside is just as beautiful. Each recipe also comes with a story about the history of the food and Paola’s personal experience with where she tasted it. I know some of you are drooling and jealous reading this, but you can order your own copy from Amazon.
Paola is Italoaustraliana, living in Melbourne and her roots are in the Veneto and Istria. She teaches cooking classes in Melbourne and is a guest instructor at the Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School in Sicilia. Her blog was voted best food blog twice in the ITALY magazine blog awards. Cool fact-Paola was also a contestant on Masterchef Australia! Buon Appetito, Cristina
Un po' di pepe 
Perfetto! Grazie! Eloise
>
Prego!
I must check out her blog. it is rather an unusual title for the book. I always associate street food with Asia. I haven’t bought much on the street in Italy, other than Pizza from little hole in the wall shops that appear in most towns in the afternoon, and food from sagre or fairs.So I am really interested to learn where Paola draws inspiration for her street food. Markets? I forni? The book sounds interesting. Most cookbooks by Italoaustraliani are superb.
Same Francesca, I’ve never bought much “street food” in Italy either, but perhaps its more about what you have standing up at the bar with your 1 EUR espresso!
hahha, maybe. Another sweet brioche, the perfect breakfast.
Ciao Napoletana! I’m not sure if my response to Francesca went to both of you or not, but you can read what I wrote there. I’ve always called it ‘bancarella’ food, served from stands, so maybe it’s the term that seems strange. The standing at the bar stuff is good too, especially if it’s sfogliatelle-my favourite! Buon appetito, Cristina,
Ciao Francesca. I’ve eaten street food in italia my whole life. it is a very big part of the cuisine, but not really on the main ‘tourist’ route. Every little village has feste for their patron saints and there are always ‘bancarelle’ selling food. there is usually panini con porchetta, and then regional specialties. Panzerotti in Puglia, arancine in Sicilia, fritto misto di mare in a paper cone along the coast….. Napoli, Sicilia and Bari in particular have a lot of ‘street food’. You can also buy ‘di asporto’ or takeout from forni and mercati. I live on suppli and pizza con fiori di zucca when I am in Roma. You will love the book! Ciao, Cristina
I guess it cimes down to terminology here. Take out food or bancarelle at feste are lovely festive foods but none if these I would call ‘ street food’. All to do with terminology.
Ciao Francesca. Bancarelle are street stands, permanent or temporary, or even by the trunk of a car. I’m not sure how this is different than in Asia? The term ‘cibo di strada’ is not new in Italia (although the translation, street food, is. It isn’t the same as take out in the sense it is not fast food. Paola actually explains very nicely in the intro and with each recipe-a lot better than I did! Ciao, Cristina
Hi Christina, I do know what bancarelle are. I speak Italian fluently, I am a translator and I also visit Italy often. So shall we agree to disagree here? Although I haven’t read the intro of Paola’s book, I do feel that the term ‘street food’ is really stretching things.
Ciao Francesca. Yes we will have to agree to disagree. it has made for interesting conversation! Buona Domenica, Cristina
E`gia` lunedi qui in Australia. Ma buona Domenica Christina. Si`, una discussione interessante e utile. Ciao, Francesca
Interesting discussion. It’s also the first time I’ve ever seen the word “laneways,” which the computer’s spellcheck tried very hard to separate.
Ciao Karen. I guess in North America the word would be alleys or alleyways, but I take it to refer to the narrow, winding streets in small town Italia. This discussion is really making me hungry!
Yes, me too! Actually, even though laneway would seem a rarer word, it has a better connotation than alleyway. Amazing how much discussion has been sparked by the title alone.
Si, e vero! I know from Instagram that Paola has a few book launch events in Melbourne. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for the conversation in the room!
The title is so important, and no matter from how many different angles the author might have looked at his/her own title in relation to the book, there’s always someone who takes away something completely different – and at times, utterly off the wall.
Oh what a lovely conversation to have followed! I am so glad you are enjoying the book Cristina. My definition of street food changed as I was doing research – the definition in the book arose after some time – and Street Food has been around for a long time and it has a rich history. Happy reading and cooking
Ciao Paola, I’m glad you enjoyed the comment thread! I love the book. I e been too busy to try any of the other recipes yet but am looking forward to it. Auguri di nuovo! Ciao, Cristina
Looks like a great book. Wonder if it’s on sale in the States?
Si,you can order it from Amazon.com. Ciao, Cristina
Wow! Sembra davvero molto interessante! Io poi adoro lo street food!
Anch’io Silvia! Per colazione, pranzo e cena…..adesso ho fame🍴
Pingback: Spring Reading 2018 | Un po' di pepe