Gennaro's Cucina: A cookbook of classic Italian recipes that help to budget during a cost-of-living crisis

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In an era of excessive convenience and disposable food waste, Gennaro’s Cucina could not come at a better time – you will learn how to use simple ingredients in inventive ways, eat seasonally, spend less and, ultimately, eat better. In 2011 he toured the Italian regions alongside Antonio Carluccio in a four-part series for the BBC, "The Two Greedy Italians". This was followed up by a second series which aired in 2012, "The Two Greedy Italians: Still Hungry". Parmigiana was originally made with aubergines from southern Italy, says Gennaro Contaldo. “Where aubergines are abundant during summer, pumpkin is plentiful during the colder season, especially in rural locations where this autumnal squash provided necessary nutrition for families.” You’ll need: If people knew how to cook, they would save at least half – at least!” he says. “I press everyone to learn how to cook because once you’ve learned how to cook, you can use whatever you find in the house.”

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On working with the young Jamie Oliver, the Italian chef said: “He was already talented. He knew what he was doing.

Parmigiana di zucca

He learned to cook because, everyone did. “Inside my house papa wanted to cook, grandfather wanted to cook, grandma would cook, my mama would cook, my sister was taught by my grandma.

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Contaldo opened the Passione restaurant, in Charlotte Street, London, in 1999. Passione was awarded 'Best Italian Restaurant 2005' by the Tio Pepe Restaurant Awards. Passione closed in March 2009 due to decreased business as a result of the late-2000s recession. [4] And I hate expiry dates, just smell it, look at it – there’s nothing wrong with it except when it’s rotting. Even if you’ve got some milk left, when it goes sour you’ve got lovely ricotta.” Along with the majority of post-war Italian families, a young Gennaro was raised on a diet harvested on a limited budget. Restricted choice of scarce ingredients meant they learnt the value what they had, how to cook dishes lovingly and use imaginative methods of preservation to make simple dishes go far: including salting, drying and curing. He won’t touch out of season fruit and veg flown thousands of miles to give us year-long supermarket produce. “Cherries are everywhere at the moment – when I see them in a shop, I won’t even taste it,” he says.In April 2003, Contaldo published his first cookbook, Passione, which is dedicated to the Amalfitan style of cooking. The cookbook won 'Gourmand World Cookbook - Best Italian Cuisine Book' for 2003. His second book, Gennaro's Italian Year, was published in September 2006. His third book, Gennaro's Italian Home Cooking, was published in September 2008, and his fourth, Gennaro's Easy Italian, was published in March 2010. His most recent book, "Panetteria: Gennaro's Italian Bakery", was published in September 2016. Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo’s new book, Gennaro’s Cucina: Hearty Money-Saving Meals From An Italian Kitchen, is out today. His latest book, ‘Gennaro’s Limoni’ published by Pavilion, is a foodie’s must, celebrating and sharing Gennaro’s love of lemons, Italy’s favourite fruit, and recipes that they star in. Gennaro Contaldo puts a bowl of penne in front of me. “Eat! Enjoy it!” he says. It’s 10am, but you don’t turn down pasta at an Italian chef’s house – no matter what time it is.

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Gennaro joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with cinch to talk about the book, which focuses on Cucina Povera - using simple ingredients in inventive ways to spend less and, ultimately, eat better. Cucina Povera is the type of cooking the chef was brought up on and that he still uses today. It originated mainly from rural Italian areas, where meals were created using the limited number of ingredients available – either what people grew or what little they could afford to buy. Contaldo left Italy in 1969 for England where he worked in the kitchen at Barnet General hospital. He married in 1974 and had three children - he later had two more children with his current partner. He briefly established an Italian antiques business before returning to cooking. Contaldo's inspiration to cook in England was partly due to the availability of game and fungi, both important components of Amalfitan cuisine. In media interviews, Contaldo has frequently voiced his enthusiasm for foraged wild food, especially mushrooms. [1] [2] [3] Contaldo grew up in the small village of Minori on the Amalfi Coast, developing his love for food from days he spent hunting with his father and grandfather, and collecting herbs for his mother. He began working in local restaurants at the age of eight. Born in Minori on the Amalfi Coast, Gennaro’s quintessentially Italian spirit and positive nature has made him a TV favourite. He regularly appears on Saturday Kitchen as well as his own TV show, the highly successful Two Greedy Italians, BBC2. Classic Italian cooking, at its very heart, is cost-effective. The basis of many of the most famous dishes is known as “cucina povera” literally translating to “poor kitchen” or “poor cooking”. The chef says: “There was not much, so whatever you had you cooked in many different ways and nothing used to be thrown away.”Gennaro is renowned for being a mentor to Jamie Oliver and teaching him, with Antonio Carluccio, about Italian cooking. He spoke to Chris about when he first met his young protege, and said that they still “talk every day.” Gennaro is brand ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano and Birra Moretti (watch. their unique ‘Bring Your Own Table Event here), and works with Italian holiday company Citalia, helping promote the best of Italian food and travel to his beloved Italy. Contaldo later worked for popular London restaurants in St John's Wood, and at Antonio Carluccio's Neal Street Restaurant in London's Covent Garden. He left Neal Street in 1998.

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The book's chapters are Rice, Polenta & Grains, Beans & Pulses, Bread, Potatoes, Eggs, Pasta, Vegetables, Meat & Fish, Sweet Treats. Iron Chef America - Served as one of Jamie Oliver's sous chefs during his battle with Mario Batali (2007)Contaldo is also known for his association with Jamie Oliver, whom he first met at Neal Street Restaurant in the 1990s. The two chefs have since maintained a close friendship and professional relationship. Oliver even once put up a reward for information when Contaldo's restaurant, Passione, was burgled in 2003. [5] Contaldo has appeared on many of Oliver's television shows, such as The Naked Chef. He made a comic appearance as one of Oliver's sous-chefs on Food Network's Iron Chef America, in a battle against famed Italian-American chef Mario Batali. Contaldo also developed menus for Oliver's UK restaurant chain Jamie's Italian, in which he is a business partner.