Cucina Ebraica (Jewish Cookbook)

Cucina Ebraica

by Joyce Goldstein

For more than 2,000 years, Jewish families have lived in Italy. Cucina Ebraica tells the saga of the Italian Jews through their food. Their history—and their cuisine—is a fascinating mélange of Middle Eastern, Spanish, and Sephardic influences, which celebrated chef Joyce Goldstein painstakingly traces through ingredients and culinary techniques.

The pumpkin in Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli was brought to Italy from the New World via the Spanish Jews expelled during the Inquisition. The assorted fried vegetables of fritto misto harken back to the foods served during Hanukkah to celebrate the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days. Dessert breads that may be made with either butter or oil, milk or water, reveal the influence of kosher laws: their preparation depends on whether the meal is a dairy one or a meat one.

A fascinating glimpse into culinary history as well as a compilation of superbly satisfying dishes that respect the kosher laws, Cucina Ebraica is a distinguished reference on a little-known but rich culinary tradition. Evocative, painterly photographs and lovely folkloric motifs join to make this a book to treasure. Here is an invitation to unexpected new joys in both Italian and Jewish cookery.

Cucina Ebraica
by Joyce Goldstein
Chronicle Books
1998, Hardcover, US $29.95
Information provided by the publisher