Spaghettata: 100 Italian Pantry Recipes for Off-the-Cuff Cooking

A delicious celebration of effortless Italian cooking and irresistible Italian charm, featuring 100 flexible pantry recipes—each with a beautiful photograph—from Italian cuisine expert Sheela Prakash.
 

The Italian expression “facciamo una spaghettata!” literally means “Let’s do a spaghetti dinner!” But it captures something bigger: the joy of gathering around a simple meal made with whatever you have on hand. Inspired by this casual, welcoming approach to cooking, Spaghettata offers satisfying dishes for busy weeknights, relaxed dinners with friends, and everything in between.

Recipes are scaled to serve two or four people and include riffs, variations, and swaps that make it easy to cook from your pantry and adapt dishes to your tastes. From fresh vegetables to quick pastas and simple desserts, this gorgeous collection includes:

• Cacio e Agrumi (Pasta with Pecorino, Black Pepper, and Citrus)
• Gnocchi di Ricotta Croccanti (Crispy Ricotta Gnocchi)
• Mozzarella in Carrozza (Pan-Fried Mozzarella Sandwich)
• Polenta alla Pizzaiola (Pizza-Style Polenta)
• Crostata di Marmellata (Any Jam Tart)
• And so much more.

Organized by staple ingredients—including pasta, bread, rice and grains, eggs, beans, and sweets—this inviting cookbook brings the warmth, flexibility, and everyday pleasure of Italian cooking and the casual ease of the Italian lifestyle into any kitchen.

• THE JOY OF ITALIAN PANTRY COOKING: Designed for inspired last-minute cooking, these 100 recipes celebrate the pleasure of creating delicious, satisfying meals from everyday ingredients already in your kitchen.
• FLEXIBLE RECIPES THAT WORK WITH YOU: Transform pantry staples into delicious, budget-friendly meals with tricks like browning tomato paste to add depth of flavor to soups, and melting anchovies into oil to create a glossy, umami-rich pasta sauce. Smart substitutions, variations, and serving sizes for two or four make it easy to cook confidently with whatever you have on hand.
• EVERYDAY ITALIAN, BEAUTIFULLY MADE: From quick pastas and comforting soups to seasonal vegetables and simple desserts, this collection pairs gorgeous full-color photography with the warmth and generosity of Italian home cooking.
• FROM ACCLAIMED RECIPE DEVELOPER SHEELA PRAKASH: A contributor to New York Times Cooking whose recipes have also appeared in Bon Appétit, Sheela shares approachable techniques and clever tips that help every meal feel special without unnecessary fuss.
• PERFECT FOR BUSY HOME COOKS & ITALIAN FOOD LOVERS: A wonderful gift for home cooks, enthusiastic hosts, new cooks, and seasoned chefs alike, this cookbook embraces the Italian tradition of turning simple ingredients into memorable meals worth sharing.