Marcella Says…

Italian Cooking Wisdom from the Legendary Teacher's Master Classes, with 120 of Her Irresistible New Recipes
by Marcella Hazan
(HarperCollins, October 2004)

"Flavor reaches into what may be our deepest source of pleasure. The happiness that food can arouse is an endlessly renewable resource and has the capacity to outlast every other drive that propels our lives." Marcella Hazan in Marcella Says…

The "godmother of Italian cooking in America" has written five important and comprehensive Italian cookbooks since she started as a cooking teacher in 1969. But Marcella Says… is different in that its 120 dishes are cooking lessons, as opposed to merely recipes. Instead of a list of ingredients and procedures, Hazan provides familiar and friendly instruction without wasting words or time. And, it all begins with the key section, At Master Class, which stems from Hazan's legendary cooking classes once held in her Venice home.

Although At Master Class is a discourse on fundamentals, Hazan's pace and tone keeps it engaging. But, make no mistake; she's serious about doing it right. For instance, she aptly describes insaporire as "what you do to draw out and develop the flavor of a single or several ingredients." Then she spends four pages defining it: Correct Use of Heat; Applying Insaporire Sequentially; Blanching as a Prelude to Insaporire; and How Insaporire Develops Flavor in Meat Stews; and Risotto. Hazan applies the same rigor to issues of doneness, frying, pasta, sauce, broth, beans and more.

Marcella Hazan

After her At Master Class briefing, Marcella Says… is organized into sections like Crostini, Antipasti, Spuntini and Pickles (prepare yourself for sinful Baked Squash and Parmesan Cheese Pudding, or its nemesis, an equally toothsome No-Butter, No-Cheese Zucchini and Basil Frittata). This is the type of book where each dish begs to be noticed and savored, from Soups of Rapini and Butternut Squash, to Carrot Gnocchi and Fish dishes like Shrimp Braised with Tomato, Chili Pepper and Capers, and Breaded Swordfish Scaloppine Sauced with Garlic, Parsley and Lemon Juice. Hazan never goes over the top, and every dish is a compelling lesson in how to do Italian the right way.

Veal, Beef, Pork, Lamb and Poultry chapters feature Fricasseed Chicken with Almonds, and homey ventures like Pot Roast of Beef with Garlic, Anchovies, Vinegar and Pancetta, and Pan-Roasted Lamb Shanks with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Savoy Cabbage. We would live on vegetables alone if Marcella Hazan were in charge. We'd feast on Baked Leeks with Herbs and Cheese, Braised Artichoke Wedges with Bacon and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Baked Radicchio with Pancetta and Fontina. Likewise, there are plenty of compelling salads like our favorite Avocado and Red Bell Pepper Salad with Red Onion; and Fennel and Orange Salad.

It wouldn't be fair to skip a mention of Hazan's excellent pasta sauces, from the perfect-for-pappardelle Veal Pasta Sauce with Four Different Varieties of Mushrooms, to Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Sauce—we loved them all. But our favorite was also the fastest—a garlicky Late Night Pasta Sauce with Pine Nuts and Raisins.

Fruits are the star in Marcella's desserts, which are not too sweet, not too heavy, but vibrant in character, depth and flavor. Apple Cake with Raisins and Rum is a must and, during that all-too-brief season, White Peach Gelato with Lemon Zest.

It's hard to find fault with a teacher like Marcella. She has a lot to say and a lot to teach, but somehow she does this without burdening us with too many words and recipes. Instead, what we get is expert instruction, great, exciting Italian food, and another reason to listen carefully to what Marcella Says…

Reviewed by Kevin Schoeler

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