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Fiamma
The
Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking
by
Michael White with Joanna Pruess
Cooking
is a transformative art, one that turns basic raw ingredients
into something altogether different than their original
forms. You might say that Michael White, executive chef
of Fiamma
Osteria in New York City and Fiamma
Trattoria at the MGM
Grand Las Vegas, is a master of transformation. An American
of Norwegian heritage who grew up in Beloit, Wisconsin,
White fashioned himself into a guru of authentic Italian
cooking after immersing himself in Old World Italian kitchens
for seven years. Upon his return to the States, White brought
his expert touch of preparation—what he calls putting
together ingredients in a "respectful way"—to
fresh American and select imported Italian ingredients.
The result was Fiamma (Italian for flame), which consistently
earns top accolades as one of New
York City’s best Italian restaurants.
Fiamma,
the cookbook, is based on White’s restaurant dishes
and reflects his emphases on traditions of the Italian kitchen
and preparations that let each ingredient shine. Chapters
on antipasto; pasta, polenta and risotto; fish; poultry
and meat; vegetables; and dessert
are interwoven with common themes and key ingredients. Fresh,
aromatic peaches appear both in roast pork loin with chestnut-honey
glazed peaches and a dessert of roasted peaches with streusel
topping. Fennel comes roasted with parmigiano-reggiano or
in a creative salad with arugula and hazelnuts. This reverence
for select produce is matched with recipes for the restaurant’s
most popular plates, including grilled octopus salad, sage-scented
veal chop with sweet and sour onions, and pasta quills with
San Daniele prosciutto. Desserts from pastry chef Elizabeth
Katz replicate the Italian passion for fresh fruit, chocolate
and gelato, with creations like vanilla semifreddo with
pineapple
compote and ricotta beignets with chocolate
dipping sauce. Bringing the techniques and staples of Fiamma
into your home kitchen will undoubtedly transform it into
a bona fide cucina. 
Reviewed
by Rachel Levin
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