Antonio Carluccio's Italia

Antonio Carluccio’s Italia by Antonio Carluccio, with photography by Alastair Hendy, is an expansive culinary journey through all 20 regions of Italy, exploring how geography, history, local ingredients, and tradition have created the country’s remarkably diverse food culture. Carluccio combines personal observations and anecdotes with more than 100 regional recipes, presenting Italian cooking not as a single cuisine but as a collection of deeply rooted local traditions.

Each region is introduced through its landscape, culinary customs, and signature products before Carluccio turns to representative dishes. Recipes include Bagna Cauda from Piedmont; Strascinate di Cascia, pasta with pancetta and sausage, from Umbria; Sicilian Caponatina di Melanzane and Orange and Lemon Salad; Calabrian Braised Swordfish and Baked Honey Figs; and Campanian classics such as Stewed Octopus and Pizza Margherita. Along the way, Carluccio explores regional specialties including cheeses, wines, cured meats, pastas, and produce.

Hendy’s evocative photography captures Italy’s landscapes, people, ingredients, and finished dishes, giving the book the character of both a cookbook and culinary travelogue. Antonio Carluccio’s Italia is especially appealing for Italian food enthusiasts, culinary travelers, regional-cuisine collectors, and home cooks interested in understanding how dramatically Italian cooking changes from one part of the country to another.