Cucina Povera

Available from Book Larder when we last checked. Sold from the shop’s own store; the price there is the one that counts.

The Italians call it l’arte dell’arrangiarsi , or the “art of making do with what you’ve got.” This centuries-old approach to ingredients and techniques, known as cucina povera, or peasant cooking, reveals the soul of Italian food at its best. It starts with the humblest components—beans and lentils, inexpensive fish and cuts of meat, vegetables from the garden, rice, pasta, leftovers—and through the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the cook, results in unforgettably delicious and satisfying mea