'This is a cookbook that really feels much more than just a book of recipes. It serves as a testimony to Nacamulli’s family story, and as general Italian Jewish history. There’s no shortage of unique recipes to try, along with familiar favorites that are impossible to resist. And, of course, we can all recognize that beautiful and important feeling of taking a bite of food that connects us to something bigger, be it family, community, or history, which is really at the core here.’

Aish.com

As featured in

Jewish Chronicle, December 2023

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A fascinating collection of recipes, looking at Italian cuisine through a Jewish lens. It was very interesting to read a new perspective on this almost ubiquitous cuisine.

NetGalley, Megan Baddeley

Article: Roman Holiday

Jewish Chronicle

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Gorgeous cookbook. Full of history of the Jewish Italian community and packed with recipes. This one’s a keeper.

NetGalley, Beth Shulam

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazing book, so good I would buy this as a present. Beautiful recipes and not all difficult. Definitely a keeper and one to buy for myself.

NetGalley, Victoria Chant

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

WOW ! what a delicious book. Jewish Flavours of Italy by Silvia Nacamulli is so good. The images, the descriptions, and the recipes are all so amazing.

NetGalley, julia borodoker

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Love the cover of this one!

This book was jam packed full of yummy sounding recipes! The book is divided into the following chapters...

-- Introduction
-- Soup, pasta , matzah and rice
-- Meat , poultry and fish
-- Vegetable dishes
-- Desserts, Sweets and Bakes

The intro is full family (and Jewish) history, culture, traditions, techniques, and much more. The photos are beautiful and plentiful making this a very visually pleasing book to flip through. The recipes as I said above are plentiful, well laid out, and easy to follow. Most include tips and a little history about the dish itself.

I have tried the Minestra di Pastae Patate (amazing), the Peperoni Ripienidi Carne (also yummy), the Carciofi
alla Giudia (to die for), and Torta di Miele, Caffè e Noci (out of this world). I cannot recommend this cookbook highly enough. It would be a fantastic addition to any foodies collection, and I can't wait to try many more of the dishes featured in it!

NetGalley, The Sassy Bookworm

As featured in

Bishop`s Stortford Independent, Jan 2023

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Great recipes! I'm also very impressed that various things are defined, including what pareve is. I'm also impressed at the vast amount of options of Italian dishes for all occasions - this is so difficult to find! I wish there were more kosher cookbooks of Italian and other cuisines like this one!

NetGalley, Andrea Robins

Article: 'How the flavours of Sicily became staples of Italian Cuisine'

Jewish Renaissance

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I just love Italian food, and love that here the diversity of the country has been recognised and the Jewish flavours highlighted. We are so used to the same old pasta dishes but there really is more to cucina Italiana than meets the eye.

NetGalley, Katie Smith

As featured in: 'Recipes to relish, with sauce on top'

Jewish Chronicle

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jewish Flavours of Italy is a lovely cookbook filled with family recipes collected and curated by Silvia Nacamulli wrapped in a rich tapestry of diaspora history of the Jews in Italy. Due out 23rd May 2023 from Pen & Sword on their Green Bean Books imprint, it's 336 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

There are undeniably quite a lot of wonderful recipes here, but for me the biggest value was in the background history of the Jewish diaspora in Italy; the food was almost secondary. The author writes accessibly and authoritatively on the subject and I learned a great deal about the immigration of Jews in the area as well as how they adapted to local ingredients whilst still remaining true to their religious and cultural identity at the same time they built a strong rapport in their new homes.

All of the recipes include commentary and background history such as where the dish originated and regional specifics. Recipe ingredients are given in a bullet list in a sidebar. Measurements are provided in metric measures with imperial (American) measurements in parentheses. The cooking directions and tutorials are written clearly and many are accompanied by multiple photos which are in colour and easy to understand. The photographers have done a stellar job of providing clear action shots without obscuring hands or utensils in the way.

Most of the ingredients will be easily found at a well stocked grocery store. Some few specialty ingredients may need to be acquired from international type food stores or sourced online.

The author has included some conversion charts for measurements in the back of the book as well as an abbreviated bibliography and comprehensive index. Much of the book is written in Italian on one column and translated side by side in a column of English on the right side of the page. All of the recipes are written in English with only the dish names in both languages.

Five stars. A wonderfully well written, solidly useful book which would be a superlative choice for public or home library acquisition, as well as gift-giving.

NetGalley, Annie Buchanan

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I loved reading this cookbook and the recipes. I didn't know a ton about Italian Jewish food since my Jewish family is from Germany and Poland. It's amazing the diversity that exists even within Jewish food. The book flowed well and the pictures were beautiful and inspiring. I can't wait to make more recipes from this one!

NetGalley, Jessica Beer

[b]Rating[b]: 5 out of 5 stars

Jewish Flavours of Italy is the perfect resource for a cook that wants to learn about the culture and history as well as paying for a wonderful selection of recipes. The author Silvia Nacamulli writes about her family, what it means to be an Italian Jew, and gives historical vignettes throughout her cookbook.

The recipes include US measurements (4 tablespoons of olive oil for example); weights (700g or 9 ounces for example) and they also include oven temps written in the following ways: 200 degrees C or 180 degree C /fan; or 400 degrees F or gas mark 6. The recipes should be usable by almost all cooks thanks to the clear explanations given by the author.

Recommend.

NetGalley, Mary Ash

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I'm Italian and I think that Jewish Italian cuisine is one of the best kept secrets as all the dishes I tasted were always great.
This is an excellent recipe book and it talks about recipes but also history.
An excellent book highly recommended.

NetGalley, Anna Maria Giacomasso

Loved this! Great new recipes for the upcoming holidays and beyond. I also enjoyed reading a bit of the history behind them as well.

NetGalley, Rachel Rappaport

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jewish Flavours of Italy is a beautiful, beautiful book about the history of Italian Jews, culture, tradition, family, heritage and quality ingredients authored by a Jewish Italian's own experiences. Actually, it's more than a book...it's a captivating experience, family and food photographs included. How I enjoyed reading about the history of Jews in general and those of Italy! There is something so very inspiring and uplifting about Silvia Nacamulli's writing which whisked me to the places I adore in Italy in an instant. But more importantly, she made a profound impression upon me with her descriptions of Italian family gatherings, what Jews celebrate, what foods/dishes/ingredients signify and their origins (as well as word origins), sometimes dating back hundreds and even thousands of years to Old Testament times. Amongst my many favourites (of many) is the origin and importance of charoset, the fish head story and the dismantling of appliances to make them kosher,

My knowledge of the subject just expanded exponentially! I did not realize tagliatelle baked with goose, raisins and pine nuts is popular in Trieste, one of my favourite cities, nor did I know about the Haman's ears recipe and link to the Biblical story. Italian food is remarkably regional and the author uses many anecdotes and historical research to describe regional dishes and traditions. One of her goals is to keep her own family traditions alive. It seems she is a credit to her family!

Though I have celiac, there are so many recipes here I can make, even those with flour as gluten free substitutions can often be made.. My palate is very adventurous and thankfully there are several to choose from such as Ravioli di Zucca con Burro e Salvia, Buricche and Baccalà alla Romana. However, many are well within reach of most cooks such as Minestra di Pasta e Patate, Zucchine Marinate, Rich Soffrito-Based sauce and Insalate di Finocchio, Arance Rosse e Olive. Who wouldn't love macerating strawberries in white wine, sugar and lemon? In addition to the above I will try Spaghetti con Ricotta, Zucchero e Cannella, Bigolii in Salsa, Torta d'Uva (with gluten free flour), Pomodori col Riso, Abbacchio Brodettato (am enamoured with the lemon sauce idea), Sarde in Saor and Nacamulli's version of fried courgette flowers (Fiori di Zucca Fritti con Mozzarella e alici). The author also provides countless practical cooking and baking tips and extols the virtues of the aubergine, tomato, fennel, artichoke and so on.

My sincere thank you to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for the honour of reading this phenomenal and unforgettable book. I could not possibly recommend it enough.

NetGalley, Brenda Carleton

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Ohhh this book. #swoon

Having been to both Italy and Israel myself, I was particularly excited to pick up _Jewish Flavours of Italy_--and it did not disappoint. I love both countries' food, and was super curious to see how the two might mesh (especially in a kosher context; I love meat and dairy in the same dish--hellooooo lasagna--and wondered how one might address that). While I can't say Imma go the vegan cheese route, I appreciated Nacamulli's overview of chefs' challenges and their innovative approach to resolving them!

Nacamulli provides a great overview of both Italian and Israeli cuisine and history, as well as sharing stories of her own family and their experiences during WWII and beyond. Sobering, and yet, so important to remember and to tell their stories. Very powerful.

The recipes and photographs are both very approachable; I appreciated that the meals didn't all look like haute cuisine or something I'd only order at a restaurant and never make at home! Even having just had a snack, I still come away hungry after reading the book, lol. (An inevitable hazard of the business.) Nacamulli includes many a meal plan, as well--one of my favorite things :D as it takes the guesswork out of it! I felt very much at home with the book, enjoying the family photos along with snaps of area sites and memorabilia, and gratefully accepting the (virtual) invitation to join Nacamulli at her family table.

I can't say I'll rush to include spinach in a dessert (a la _torta di spinaci e mandorle_, spinach and almond cake), but the roasted veggies, challah, and _torta di miele, caffe e nochi_ (honey, coffee and walnut cake) are calling my name!

The book allows me to relive many a travel and food memory, and that alone makes it worthwhile--the rest is an added bonus. (As are an Ottolenghi recipe--huge Yotam fan here!--and a vintage Tintin picture! So cool to unexpectedly see that!)

NetGalley, Meagan Davenport

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I would definitely buy this book as I am Jewish and love Italian food.

NetGalley, Kerry Pickens

As an Italian American, I really thought I had a good understanding of Italian cuisine. This book adds a new perspective to me.

Written almost as a love letter to the authors family and heritage. Wonderful family pictures and backstory.

NetGalley, Joni Owens

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyably eatable cookbook

Nacamulli tells and hows how the story of the Jews in Italy is intricatably linked to the Italians, the land itself and the food it provides. How the rules of religion shapes the food and how clever cooks circumnavigate rules and supply to create delicious food whilst keeping within boundaries of law and boundaries of supply and availability.

I've already tried some of the fabulous recipes:

Merduma - a spicy tomato dip - which we devoured with Maltese bread
Chicken Ezekiel - devoured a well

I've a whole list of others on my immediate to cook list and I'm looking forward to more.

NetGalley, sofia di leone

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book is a stunning collection of history, culture, family and culinary delights. Regardless if you are Jewish or Italian or neither, any lover of cooking and food history can appreciate this thorough collection in one beautifully presented package. The photography is fantastic, with lots to look at while you delve into history and recipes. At the beginning of her book Silvia Nacamulli explains in her book that " Italian Jewish Cuisine is therefore a story of migration, creativity and necessity..." and she expertly takes the reader through the history of it through the eyes of herself and her family. She then covers all the bases of Jewish cooking rules vs customs and practices and then on to foods for the holidays and how they are celebrated in her community. I love that she pairs each holiday with the appropriate menu options for each holiday.

The recipes themselves are very easy to read and simple to follow, with stunning photography on every page. The 4 recipes that I have tried so far were delicious- enjoyed by myself and my family. I also found the recipes easy to execute with no food item that is too hard to source or techniques that require a culinary degree. There is nothing more frustrating than a cook book that is unapproachable. This book is the exact opposite. It both equally enjoyable to read in a comfy chair as it is to dive in the recipes in the kitchen. As an ARC, I was provided with a digital copy of this book which blew me away with is layout and photos etc. I can only imagine that the hard-copy will be even more stunning.

NetGalley, Monroe Racer

A delightful book introducing Jewish Italian dishes and the most wonderful extended family of the author. Some recipes are adaptations of ones that are familiar. Others reflect how Jews have been treated - one recipe named after sticks that were used to beat them! Definitely a cookbook to dip into.

NetGalley, Danielle Ellis

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Deeply personal, moving, stunning cookbook showing a glimpse into the lives and food of the Roman Jewish community. The pictures are gorgeous, the stories are relevant, the food is extraordinarily. I’ll be purchasing a copy of this for my personal cookbook collection.

NetGalley, Heather Hitchcock

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This was a beautiful book. It's filled with delicious recipes for some scrumptious food. I tried quite a few recipes and made them for my family which they enjoyed very much. I bought a copy for my collection. The recipes are easy to follow.

NetGalley, Annalisa Alberti

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This was such an interesting read. I especially enjoyed reading about the kosher diet and how / why some things were kosher, and some were not. The history was fascinating. The food just made me drool. A good gift book for a foodie.

NetGalley, Karen Hammond

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this cookbook and studying the recipes! The flow of the book was nice and the pictures were stunning! I really want to own this one because I really loved the Jewish flavors that were in Italian cuisine I have been cooking all my life.

NetGalley, Sarah Castaneda

I love this kind of cookbook (the mentality of being a 'cook' but not a 'chef', where you are encouraged to stick to your family traditions and not to worry too much if you have the wrong size of egg) - and as an Italian-American reader, the recipes in this book felt so familiar to me, but with a new context that broadened my understanding of my own culinary traditions. And as a vegetarian, I'm looking forward to trying many of the kosher, meat-omitted versions of my favorite dishes!

I think the personal information and historical context were really front-loading the book, but it was enjoyable to learn more about the writer and her family. I think the pacing of recipe and context was excellent after the introductory section, and I loved the information about the shifting Jewish community in Italy as well as surprising minutia about their culinary traditions, like the note about eggplant and fennel initially being mostly eaten by Italian Jews while other Italians eschewed them. Plus, I was happy to see that many of the recipes had quick tips about things like how best to reheat, or what substitutions to use, and there was an aside in a recipe for pasta fagioli that explained to me why my pasta always comes out underdone in soups (it takes pasta longer to absorb the water in thicker broths!) Overall, I'm really happy with this book, and looking forward to spending more time with these recipes.

NetGalley, Amy Giacomucci

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Silvia Nacamulli's "Jewish Flavours of Italy" is a detailed collection of recipes, history, and family memories that embrace both Jewish and Italian cultures. For those who are interested, there is an interesting overview of Italian Jewry as well as Nacamulli's personal family stories. She also details the Jewish holidays and gives cooking tips for those who may need them. Often, cookbooks with this much up-front detail tend to have less recipes. But not this cookbook - within the pages are a large full repertoire of recipes. I like that the food recipes are grouped by type ( "soup, pasta, matzah and rice" and "vegetable dishes" for example) rather than by holiday or ingredient. When I want to make a soup, I want to know where to find the recipe!

There are thoughtful detailed instructions with each recipe as well as many photos. If you need explanations and examples, you will find them. If you are an impatient cook like myself, you can flit through the well-laid out recipes and find whatyou need. Prep time, Cooking, tips, ingredients are all laid out in an easy-to-read format.

Do you ever succumb to a purchase of a beautiful cookbook but then find yourself not using it because the recipes are too involved or obscure? This book will not be one of those purchases. There are basics like tomato sauces, soups and challah bread but also a few more involved recipes like Buricche (traditional savoury parcels). Also, Italian cooking in general is inherently (in my opinion) approachable and practical - so the recipes are all approachable and simple to master.

I have tried the Torta di Mele (apple cake - yum!), the Pizza d' Azzima (simple and clever!) and the Lasagne al Sugo (I prefer this to a traditional meat version). Everything has been delicious. The recipes themselves are clear and straightfoward. The measurements are spot-on. I can't wait to cook my way through the rest of this book.

NetGalley, Anne E.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I love Jewish and Italian foods, so getting a chance to read Jewish Flavors of Italy was really appealing to me.

Not only is this volume a wonderful collection of recipes (and there are many!), but it also details the remarkable history of Italian Jewry, and she intertwines her own family’s history in Italy, including tales of how many of her family members survived the Holocaust. She also discusses the evolution of Jewish cooking in Italy, with its many influences coming from Jews from various countries emigrated to Italy and brought their own traditions, foods and spices with them.

A fascinating volume filled with detailed recipes that I absolutely can’t wait to try.

NetGalley, Ira Smith

I don't normally review cookbooks but this somehow showed up in my Netgalley suggestions and looked really good. And it was good, but very interesting as well as there is a fascinating introduction of Jewish life and cuisine in Italy.

It appears the Jewish community in Rome has uninterruptedly lived there since 70 AD. 90% of the recipes are therefore quintessential Italian, but tweaked here and there to respect kosher rules (no pork, no mixing of dairy and meat). I didn't know that it was the Jews who first started importing the aubergine from America and who first introduced the tomato in Italian cooking.

I loved especially the pasta and veggies chapters, which also contain a lot of little tips (dont put too much sauce in your parmigiana di melanzane, put pepper on onions if you don't want to cry)

NetGalley, R Vermeeren

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This may be one of my favourite cooking books from 2022. It starts off with some history which I really enjoyed to read and then we go into the recipes and of course some info for the context of the chapter or recipes. I loved how the Italian names for the recipes were written there and we didn't receive only the English names. And the recipes look simple but so tasty. I am going to get this book for myself when it is published.

NetGalley, Alina Macarie

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book is so much more than a cookbook. I found the recipes to be fabulous and am eager to try some of these.

The addition of stories and history really set this book apart from so many other cookbooks. I felt that not only was Silvia sharing her recipes, but she was sharing herself…her story and her history…and this made it so much more personal and heartwarming for me.

NetGalley, Cindi Austin

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I thought this was a really lovely book. It's more than just a cookbook. It has beautiful stories of family and heritage. I liked the recipes too. This is a book I could savor over for a long time. Can't wait to get a copy when it comes out!

NetGalley, Suzy Card

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Lovers of history and food will find Jewish Flavours of Italy: A Family Cookbook well-written and fascinating, and will not only want to cook dozens of the recipes, but also curl up in a corner and enjoy. The beginning of the cookbook outlines the history of the Jews in Italy, as well as keeping kosher. There are also chapters on ingredients, cooking equipment, and other helpful information. Once readers are versed on the history and basics, they will want to go on to the amazing recipes, which are absolutely mouthwatering. There are so many excellent recipes, that many cooks will want to make something every day for a month or so from this cookbook. These are recipes that nobody will ever get tired of.

The recipes are concise, simply written, and easy-to-follow. Cooks with skills from beginner to advanced will easily be able to follow the recipes and turn out picture-perfect results. The photographs are beautiful, and almost every recipe is pictured. There are also beautiful photographs of Italy and the historical aspect of Italy and how the author’s family survived through history. The recipes are for dishes that most of us will actually want to cook and serve; none of those recipes that look nice, but aren’t doable. Most of the ingredients are easily found in any major grocery store, and many are already on anyone’s well-stocked pantry shelves.

All told, this is an excellent and beautiful cookbook. It should be on the cookbook shelf of anyone serious about delicious Italian cooking.

NetGalley, Karen Hancock

This is a very enjoyable book combining historically information and the contexts upon which Jewish cuisine in Italy developed , the author’s family history within Rome and a good selection of recipes. Most recipes are provided with a background linked to origins and/ or their place within Jewish customs and calendar events. The recipes are accessible and there are some variations on traditional Italian favourites. This is an enjoyable cookery book high gives you a taste of the Mediterranean and Jewish life . The recipes using aubergines ( and artichokes which next in season )as well as the tortas /cakes, will be my first recipes to explore. Worthy of a place on my shelf of good cookbooks.

NetGalley, Stephen Richard

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The recipes are well written and understandable by cooks of all levels and the photos make the food very appealing to me and other food lovers out there, whether you are Jewish or not.

NetGalley, Janet PoCo

This was a very sweet and personal book. All the food looked delicious and I appreciated all the photos that went along with it.

NetGalley, Joy Reading

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is such an interesting book.

I have an Italian background and the recipes really resonated with me. It was fascinating to see so many dishes I have taken for granted and realised their authentic story.

Absolutely loved this - I learned so much.

NetGalley, Maria Martignetti

Cookbooks can be scholarly, filled with facts that enrich the creation of foods, or groundbreaking,
delivering new tastes and familiar flavors uniquely. They can also simply be, like this one,
wonderful collections of recipes that enliven the constant tasks of cooking and eating.

Nacamulli’s intensive look at the cuisine of Jewish Italians, known as Italkim, combines a very
personal viewpoint with hundreds of recipes and anecdotes that evoke memories and the kind of
in-depth knowledge born of experience. For example, in addition to sharing the gripping tale of her family's survival of the war (read: Holocaust), Nacamulli explains the fascination with matzo and offers menu options for the different Jewish holidays. Every recipe sings, from lead-in descriptions and top-notch color photographs to the step by steps (if needed) as well as tips and variations. While this is aimed at kosher households, all dishes can be reconfigured for those not adhering to any guidelines. Read this for the stories; refer to it for one-of-a-kind recipes.

Barbara Jacobs, Booklist

As featured in

The Bookseller