The Valentino Cookbook - Hardcover

Piero Selvaggio came to the United States from Italy as a teenager, having eaten in only one restaurant in his life--a truck stop near the consulate that issued his family's travel papers. His first job was as a dishwasher in a cafeteria at N.Y.U. Thirty-five years later, Selvaggio's head must be spinning--his restaurants, Valentino in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and Posto, also in Los Angeles, are considered among the best in the country.

Selvaggio has spent a lifetime learning everything there is to know about Italian food and wine. With subtlety and elegance he mingles homemade Italian with delicate nouvelle style. The results are full-flavored and often breathtaking. Pasta Stuffed with Eggs, Spinach, and Ricotta, with Shaved Truffles is a study in understatement--cut through the ravioli to discover a whole poached egg nestled in the ricotta and spinach mixture. Pumpkin Lasagna is a beautifully simple presentation of pasta, pumpkin, brown butter with fresh sage, and Parmesan; crushed amaretti cookies lend a touch of sweetness. Lamb with Almonds, Walnuts, and Pine Nuts is a twist on a breaded cutlet--the combination of the fragrant, juicy chop with the crunchy aromatic nuts is truly memorable.

A chapter on salads includes Valentino's famous Warm Chicken Salad with Gorgonzola Dressing, and soups include such hearty fare as Cream of Cabbage with Sour Cream. Risotto with Sweet Peppers and Corn is sure to become a favorite, especially if you follow Selvaggio's step-by-step instructions for cooking risotto. Desserts include an easy-to-make, smooth Espresso Chocolate Custard; a mouthwatering Ricotta, Orange, and Chocolate Torte; and even the Panettone di Luciano, a panettone filled with ice cream. While many of Valentino's dishes require elaborate preparation, just as many are quite simple. To help streamline effort in the kitchen, Selvaggio has separated advance and last-minute preparations wherever possible and made a wine recommendation for every dish in the book.

Selvaggio confesses from the beginning that he loves a meal made up of many small dishes. He recommends serving antipasti and small portions of everything else. When you realize that eating his way means you never have to choose, that you really can have it all, his argument is very convincing. --Leora Y. Bloom

"[Valentino] serves the best Italian food I have eaten in America."
--Ruth Reichl, The New York Times

"Among the countless cookbooks that rest lifeless on kitchen counters or in bookcases, a few stand up, reach out, and say, Read me, trust me, use me!? Piero Selvaggio's The Valentino Cookbook is one of them. After all, how can you not be attracted to a book whose author writes, The gracious meal is the continuity in my life. As for the food, I defy you, even if you have eaten recently, to page through this collection of recipes without feeling pangs of hunger."--William Rice, food and wine columnist, Chicago Tribune

"This book makes me fall in love with Italian food all over again because the recipes are made in traditional ways with pure ingredients, seasonally ripe and locally grown."--Alice Waters

"Through my years as a restaurateur, I've always looked to Valentino as the mother yeast of genuine hospitality. Piero Selvaggio knows intuitively how to make people feel good by sharing things that taste good. That spirit of generosity is also pervasive in The Valentino Cookbook. It's a wonderful collection of the restaurant's recipes, caringly written in a way that will make any home cook feel like a winner."
--Danny Meyer, co-author of The Union Square Cafe Cookbook

"Over the years, Piero Selvaggio has introduced me to dozens of wonderful wines that always seem to match up seamlessly with the food from Valentino's kitchen. It would be enough if this book revealed the secrets of the Italian-American kitchen as well as it does. What a bonus for it to succeed at suggesting just how that wine-and-food magic works."
--Harvey Steiman, editor at large, Wine Spectator

"The Valentino Cookbook tells a fascinating story of a Sicilian restaurateur in California who discovers the world of provincial and regional Italian cuisine and wine. Piero Selvaggio's recipes are inspired by Italy, interpreted for the province of Santa Monica, in the region of California. Bravissimo!"
--Faith Willinger, author of Eating in Italy and Red, White & Greens

"The Valentino Cookbook is a splendid collection of recipes and prose that reflects many years of relentless passion and dedication to the Italian culinary culture a must-have cookbook."
--Lidia Bastianich, owner, Felidia and Becco

"Anyone who has ever eaten at the restaurant Valentino or known its remarkable owner, Piero Selvaggio, is well aware of the elegant dishes that come forth from its kitchen. Known for giving a refined twist to time-honored tastes, Piero shows us his philosophy at Valentino in the tantalizing recipes he has dreamed up, presenting new interpretations and intriguing combinations of tastes. Personally, I can't wait to get to the Tuna in Red Wine Sauce with Fava Beans and the traditional Piemontese chocolate pudding called Il Bonet.
--Carol Field, author of Celebrating Italy and The Italian Baker

"This book, reflecting elegance and intellect, tells a story of immense passion for Italian culinary traditions. The recipes not only challenge the imagination but show the great love that Piero has for Italy. Bravo, Piero!"
--Roberto Donna, chef and owner, Galileo