Flour + Water: Pasta [A Cookbook]

I tend to read, in detail, cover to cover any book I purchase. With cookbooks I also try making at least some of the key recipes. I find, no matter my overall opinion, there is usually something to be learned, if one remains open to it.The book, while hardly game changing, was worth the read and cooking effort. As with most cookbooks that I have read, it has it’s plusses and minuses.I though the recipes for sauces are quite well done. I especially enjoyed the Bolognese Ragu and will likely use it as a standard.While the recipes for pasta dough covered four basic types the recipes were not quite to my liking. While I love eggs, the egg based pasta dough (20 yolks) was far too egg laden for my comfort.The recipes for a variety of pasta dishes by season and region were, for the most part, good and a nice way to present them. But, I think, the over use of difficult and expensive ingredients are a bit much for the home kitchen.While I have no problem with a chef celebrating, and advertising, his restaurants dishes it might be a good idea to offer the home cook alternatives to the more exotic ingredients. In every such recipe those alternatives do exist. It would be a better book had he, and other chefs of like mind, were to do so. This is not rocket science and Amazon has several books on ingredient substitution worth reading.The author is spot on with what is required to properly cook pasta: a sufficient volume of salted water, tasting along the way, describing what al dente really means, and by completing cooking the pasta in the sauce pan.The author’s thoughts regarding pasta and Italian cooking in general were well presents and should prove useful to the general reader. For example, while he describes and celebrates hand rolled pasta he also admits to making machine rolled pasta. His position that hand forming the pasta shapes on a wooded board rings true. The wood board does in fact add a welcome texture to the pasta.That said, a useful book that only suffers from a few excesses of similar chef cookbooks.

I gave my partner the KitchenAid pasta making attachment for his birthday and also got him this book. Simply: OMG. For the first outing, he made Tagliatelle Bolognese and it was, and I am not exaggerating, the best home-cooked meal I've had in years, maybe ever. We're both very good cooks whose mothers are very good cooks, so this is really saying something. It's one of the best meals I've had since I ate at the actual Flour and Water eight years ago. The instructions were clear and straightforward, and the book is beautifully designed and printed. Get it, even if you're not making your own pasta. The sauce... OMG.

I bought the book a few weeks ago and have tried out a few recipes already. for reference, I'm an experienced home cook, but a complete pasta making novice (as in my first pasta making experience was two weeks ago) and I live in a large city with lots of grocery options.(also, everything is available online these days) i think the recipes are completely workable and he offers substitutions, ideas and options to make the recipes simpler. My first try was Tagliatelle Bolognese. yes, it takes a long time, but there is no such thing as "short-cut Bolognese" unless you want to eat some weird bastardized American version - and if that's the case, you are looking at the wrong book. His recipe used easy to find ingredients, instructions were clear cut and the final result was super super yummy. Pizzoccheri with speck braised Cabbage, Potato and Fontina also turned out well. I couldn't find Savory cabbage so i used regular cabbage. I used speck, but you could use some other smoked pork belly or prosciutto and it would probably turn out just fine. All said, a great buy and I plan on plowing through the rest of the recipes (and gaining 10 lbs)

This was a great book, from an American Sicilian I was curious to see how it would be put together. I had seen the book online however had not held it before. The book has some amazing information that takes some serious time reading to get a full understand not just on pasta but what goes into making the perfect pasta. Along with pasta there is information on meats, cheeses, and nonno and nonna's way of doing things.This book is perfect for someone looking for a different way of eating pasta while also obtaining that Italian cultural influence.Finally the recipes are broken down intoSummerAutumnWinterSpringI would recommend this to anyone who has a friend who likes to eat healthy and is not scared of eating wonderful carbs!

I call this book my, "pasta bible". I cannot say enough great things about the recipes, helpful hints and detailed guidance throughout the recipes. You have to read the entire book. You cannot just open to a recipe and make it work. The history of these fabulous men and how they got to where they are as well as well as how making great pasta happens. You will not be disappointed! I own a small Italian deli and market and use several of the recipes through out this book. We sell out every time!! The Bolognese is superb and our best seller by far. Even for the home chef...essential pasta making info that will help you make the silkiest pasta ever! Kudos to Thomas and gang. Some day I will get to the actual Flour + Water establishment!

It was more regular recipes that feature pasta I expected it to be focused on pasta. So I am very happy to have borrowed it first

Amazing recipe book!All recipes seems great. We made only 2 recipes so far and it was really delicious! Eating pasta made from this book is like travelling in Italy.

I just received this book and am very anxious to start cooking! I was inspired to start making my own pasta after a recent cooking class vacation in Perugia. Well, I turn to page 186 for the corzetti with sausage, clams and Fennel but am bewildered that there is NO fennel in the ingredients? Just returned from the farmer's market with fresh fennel so I guess I will have to ad-lib this one!! Can't really review the book but the pics are fabulous and now I want my own corzetti stamp! :)

Great recipe book. Simple instructions to follow. Amazing food.

Nice hard back book, arrived promptly

A stunning coffee table book, the cover has beautiful embossing. The dough recipes are great. The pasta sauce recipes are very complex and include a lot of ingredients inaccessible to the average Joe, so buy it for someone who appreciates beautiful books or someone who is a whiz in the kitchen.

Gorgeous book. If you enjoy making pasta, you will love this book and if you have not made pasta before, this book makes it easy to learn. Beautiful illustrations

Fairly gourmet for a pasta book, but the recipes turn out flavorful and impressive. Not simple, so I would suggest something else if you're looking to learn the basics.