N.Y. chef offers flavor of Italy

"To me Italian signifies a purity of flavor, a respect for natural ingredients and perhaps, most of all, an intimate understanding of how to create a dish that makes people want more of it." I wish I had said that, but credit has to go to Scott Conant, author of "Bold Italian" (Broadway Books, 2008, paperback, $19.95).

Chef Conant may not be a household name in your food world, but in New York City his food is revered. His two restaurants in the Big Apple, L'Impero and Alto, are first-class eateries and ones I clamber toward when in New York. A few years back, Food and Wine Magazine tapped Conant as one of the 10 best new chefs in the country. So, he has great credentials and I love to eat at his table, but can he write a cookbook?

This is actually his second book. His first one, "New Italian Cooking," is first-rate, but it lends itself toward high-end cooking, at least for most of us west of the Hudson River. "Bold Italian" is designed for the home cook, and Conant, who was smart enough to hire a professional writer to work with him (Joanne McAllister Smart), has accomplished what few chefs really do -- produced a cookbook that the home cook in almost any area of the country can use to easily plate a meal with wonderful cheflike flavors with basically no kitchen pain. This book is about simple, honest Italian food.

I've been playing with this book since April and have found it to be a delight. The Rosemary-Scented Olives in the Piattini (little plates) chapter are so simple to prepare and highly addictive. Make two batches if you plan on using them for a cocktail party. He redefines the classics, like Spaghetti with Clams, but explains to you why he tweaks them.

The chapters run the usual gamut for an Italian cookbook -- soups and salads, pasta and risotto, sandwiches, main courses and desserts, and the recipes are all rustic in nature. You won't find many red sauces, but you will get some super ideas for the tomatoes and eggplants and zucchini overflowing in your garden about now. Conant also takes you to parts of northern Italy where the German and Austrian influence is felt, where smoked sausages, cabbage and lots of rosemary find their way into the cuisine. This recipe shows a bit of that influence with the inclusion of chickpeas, which normally I don't care for but I adore in this dish.

Flavor, and lots of it, from Italian dishes that are not the same-old same-old makes this book special. I traveled to Umbria last year and experienced some awesome Italian food. It was always simple and made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. I find those flavors in this book, and I think it goes back to his opening statement: "...a purity of flavor and respect for natural ingredients..."

We should all cook that way. Enjoy.

Recipes

Cavatelli with Wilted Greens, Crispy Pancetta and Chickpeas