This celebration of the simple, hospitable cooking of Italy's small regional restaurants is unmatched in both authenticity and scope.

Slow Food, the international defender of local food traditions, scoured the countryside of every region of Italy to collect and share the best traditional recipes from osterie, the humble local taverns that preserve the heritage of true Italian cooking. This cookbook is the culmination of that research--1,000 compelling recipes that highlight ingenuity with rustic ingredients and the generous hospitality of these off-the-beaten-track gems where we all dream of dining.

Within the book, these homegrown chefs share their knowledge of local ingredients worth searching out, cooking techniques that vary from region to region (and even from town to town), and charming culinary customs. From cornmeal pizza with chicory and zucchini parmesan to pork ribs with cabbage and mushrooms, this is eminently cookable Italian food, perfect for everyday family meals and feasts alike. Each recipe is labeled with its region of origin, and indexes by both region and principal ingredient are provided. Osteria is an essential resource for every cook (and armchair traveler) who wants the secrets of Italian cooking straight from the source.