The photos in this book made me hungry! Now I'm craving Italian food. The recipes look easy to make and I can't wait to try some of them! I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

I love Italian cooking which was why I was so excited to get a chance to review the cookbook, Purely Italian by Caterina Papadia.

The recipes amounts are in grams, but I found it easy to convert to US measurements with the help of the internet. Some of the ingredients themselves are not what we are use to here in the US. An example is mince meat which is basically ground beef. There is a mix up of Italian and English in the cookbook, but nothing that would be difficult to figure out.

Each recipe has a history of the dish. Then the name of the recipe is in Italian and English. The rest of the information includes difficulty level, preparation, servings, cost, ingredients, and instructions. There are nice pics of the recipes and a good combination of simple to more involved recipes.

When I review a cookbook, I like to try a recipe from the book so I can see if the instructions and information about the dish equal what you end up with. I decided to make Cotoletta alla Palermitana which is (Palermo Style Cutlets). Instead of fried, these were baked and quite tasty. The chicken was tender and this recipe was quick and easy. The instructions were easy to follow and very precise.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial, Caterina Papadia, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this 4-star cookbook. My review is voluntary and all opinions and comments are my own.

The title here is completely fitting: straightforward classic Italian recipes. The photographs look like you could eat them directly from your device. Unfortunately, there is some poor translating going on here (or better editing and proofreading necessary), and the format is a little unfriendly from an American point of view--maybe I'm too spoiled by Taste of Home and the Foot Network. Though not a substantial book and with its flaws, Purely Italian is still work a look.

Potentially a good Italian cookbook although nothing original as the recipes can be found in other Italian cookbooks but as an introduction it is good. Good colour photography accompany each recipe. My real problem was the format (I downloaded on kindle/phone and computer) and why I say potentially, the lines were all muddled up plus numerous typos so not sure what stage this book is at and obviously there are download issues. There was a short history of each dish just after the photo which didn't seem muddled and provided an interesting background. So, I shall stick at 3 stars and accept the final book is maybe worth a go.

The book comprises 30 quite traditional Italian recipes and cooks them from scratch. Ingredients easy to source. Excellent so far.. My problem was that it seemed more like a poor translation of Nonna's cook book and really should have had a good edit before it was published in English. Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful photos tantalize the reader making them long for each recipe. The recipes seem easy to follow and delicious outcome.

Almost everyone appreciates family recipes from their friends – recipes that always work and are delicious. Purely Italian. A cookbook: 30 Fast and delicious recipes to let you cook like an Italian (Italian Recipes and not only. Easy and quick way to impress your guests. Book 3
by Catarina Papadia is one such cookbook. While the cookbook contains only 30 recipes, the recipes Papadia has chosen are recipes that most of us want to master and serve to our families. While some of the recipes are not the most popular ones that we eat regularly at Italian restaurants, the book contains lots of favorites. All of the recipes are fairly easy to prepare, and cooks, whether beginning or advanced can create picture perfect dishes with an Italian flair.

This cookbook also includes some beautiful photographs, which is one of the most important aspects of a good cookbook. Papadia has also included notes at the beginning of each recipe, giving the history of the dish, or helpful hints on making and serving. This is very helpful and a welcome addition to the book. The recipes are very tempting, and my queue for choosing new recipes gets longer the more I peruse the book.

Anyone who loves Italian (and who doesn’t), will love cooking from this cookbook. The author doesn’t try to make it harder than it is, and the recipes are written in such a way that insures success. This cookbook is highly recommended.

Being of Italian background myself, I am drawn to Italian cookbooks when they promise to be traditional/authentic. It's the "old" recipes I'm after. Caterina Papadia hit the mark there. I appreciate her hunt for the tried and true and love that she included a short background note in each recipe.
As for the recipe spread, I would have liked to see a little more balance. This is a pasta heavy book. I realize pasta is the most popular Italian food, nor am I looking for health food here, but I would have liked to see a little more variety (perhaps some appetizers, soups, more sides, etc.). Some of the photos in this book were great (especially those in the desert section), others lacked a professional feel.
Overall, this book has good bones, but could use a little more refinement.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars. The pictures look great and the recipes easy to follow. I was reading this first on my kindle, and moved to my ipad when the format was working for me...in between the ingredients were the instructions. So that was a bummer. Other than that, this is a recipe book that I'll definitely keep on hand as I love pasta!

Thank you Booksgosocial and NetGalley for the arc of this book! Can't wait to try the recipes.

An intresting book not a fan of the layout and appart from one or two recipies not a lot new i have not seen in other italian books do feel its missing something.

Italian cookbooks are my favorite, and this one does not disappoint. Easy to follow directions.. A great variety of recipes for beginners and more experienced cooks. I am looking forward to adding some of these to my meal rotation. A great book to have on hand.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. #PurelyItalianAcookbook #NetGalley

I love Italian food, and this book is such a great collection of recipes! Vivid images and helpful descriptions make it easy for all to attempt. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

I am so exciting about picking this book in particular since I love cooking and I can't do if I don't have instructions to follow.

Pure Italian is perfect for me because its easy enough for me to experiment and know it'll turn out good. I've tried a few of the recipies here but never in the way its shown here so I'm going to try them the Pure Italian way. Not only I'm excited to have this cookbook with me but there is more than pasta here! Now, watch me make amazing recepies and enjoy them all on my own.

By the way, my favorite part of this cookbook was the dessert pages. I'm excited to try those as well.

Thanks to Netgalley for the change to get this book in exchange for a free book.

Beautiful pictures and easy to follow recipes. I really liked the history and stories that went along withe each recipe. Good basic Italian cookbook

PURELY ITALIAN. A COOKBOOK by Caterina Papadia is full of beautiful photos and contains classic Italian recipes like Pizza Margherita, Lasagne alla Bolognese, and Pasta e Fagioli. The cookbook is described as "30 Fast and delicious recipes to let you cook like an Italian - Easy and quick way to impress your guests." I love Italian food and was excited by the proposition of "easy and quick." However, I do not think this quite delivered. For one thing, the measurements for ingredients use grams instead of ounces (although they do refer to teaspoons, tablespoons, etc.) which makes it an extra step to make the conversion and estimate quantities. And, while only a few of the recipes like Braciole Pugliesi (Apulian beef chops) are listed as high difficulty; the majority are described as medium and hardly any are listed as easy. Papadia also includes an estimate of the number of servings, length of preparation and cost, but there is no nutrition information.

I really wanted to love this cookbook. I have spent a lot of time in Italy and have taken many cooking courses. This book has the nice warm cozy feel like you are learning from your grandmother. The recipes are very common dishes but they do serve as an easy resource for some of the best dishes. The biggest problem that I had was that it really needs a good editor. It is full of errors and there are some places that are a bit confusing. Beautiful little cookbook that has potential but just didnt quite get there

What a gorgeous cover! The same can be said about the pictures throughout the book... just wonderful. Nice title and I’ll eat anything Italian!

What did I like? I love Italian food.... hands down my favorite kind of food to eat. From margherita pizza to the famous tiramisu dessert, this book shows you an easy but beloved take on some Italian dishes. Great pictures, easy recipes, and delicious food!

Would I recommend or buy? I’d love a copy for my shelf. Purely Italian for some Italian lovers. Anyone looking for some authentic but easy recipes will love this cookbook!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! An easy five stars!

Benvenuti! ‘Purely Italian’ is an absolutely delightful celebration of Italian cuisine by Caterina Papadia including 21 traditional Italian pasta dishes (and Pizza Margherita), four main dishes, and five desserts. Each recipe not only consists of easy-to-follow instructions but is accompanied by a beautiful photograph and a paragraph of history relating to the dish, which I found very interesting.

The passion for eating well is widespread in the bel paese. This book is intended to be a feast of authentic Italian fare as can be tasted where it was born. Papadia has only collected tried and tested recipes that Italians use daily.

As Papadia illustrates, Italian food isn’t hard to cook, allowing even a beginner to produce great meals with little effort. The secrets of Italian cuisine are the quality of the raw ingredients and the simplicity of the dishes. It is the balance of different flavours which make these recipes unique and delicate, modern but with solid roots in tradition.

The book is small and only contains 30 recipes but most of these are favourites around the world: Spaghetti Bolognese; Risotto alla Milanese; Pizza Margherita; Lasagne alla Bolognese; Frittata di Spaghetti; Farfalle al Salmone; Pasta ‘Ncasciata (Inspector Montalbano’s favourite pasta); Pasta con le Cozze; Cotoletta alla Palermitana; Apollo alla Cacciatora; Polenta con Salsiccia; Caponata Palermitana; Torta Caprese; Tiramisu; Frittole di Carnevale; Crostata Della Nonna, and Crostata di Ricotta.

If you are looking to cook Italian meals at home to impress your family and friends, I think this is an excellent and engaging volume with which to start.

I’m hoping to make the Torta Caprese, a cake dedicated to dazzling Capri. Apparently, it was born of an oversight, when the baker forgot to add flour to the mixture of almonds (or walnuts) and dark chocolate. It’s been called “uno dei pasticci più fortunati della storia” (one of history's most fortunate mistakes).

A huge thank you to @NetGalley and @BooksGoSocial for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book sets out to demonstrate that Italian food is not difficult to prepare, with the right ingredients and cooking utensils. For example, for the spaghetti bolognaise, a strong cast iron pan is recommended for the slow cooking that will bring out the flavour of the meet.

The dishes hail from both the northernmost regions, where a polenta dish is more typical, to the South, with Sicilian melanzane (aubergines) making their appearance.

Most of the meals are heartily meaty and glutinous, though there are exceptions: a vegetarian recipe makes an appearance, alongside a non-glutinous dessert using almond flour. Other dishes could probably be adapted to suit needs such as these in many cases.

The resaon I have given this a two is because of the editing! There are basic spelling mistakes, whole sentences appear to be left out, and the order in which the instructions are given appear to be totally mixed up! Not sure if this is sometimes down to an issue with the software, but the effect of all this was to impede understanding, which could be frustrating. Otherwise the subject material was great, and an excellent resource for those who wish to experiment with this most popular and tasty cuisine, with all its regional specialities.

I’d like to preface this by saying that I am Italian born and bred, and lived exclusively in Italy until the age of 18, before moving abroad.
I love cookbooks, and looking at ones featuring Italian cuisine can be a treat or an exercise in frustration, as the worldwide popularity of Italian dishes and flavors has led to some very non-authentic recipes.

This book however was a pleasure to browse through, with beautiful pictures and lots of simple recipes in their authentic form, including the ingredients Italian would use. It’s a really wonderful introduction to Italian cooking for anyone who would like to replicate the flavors they might enjoy in any trattoria, but mostly without major, labor-intensive preparation.
I was especially glad to see the clarification of how Bolognese differentiates from everyday ragù, as that isn’t a well known fact outside of Italy.

Well done to the author for staying so true to her roots while also choosing such an approachable selection of delicious, basic, traditional recipes that pretty much anyone can make — this would make a great gift to newbies or experienced cooks alike.