Now available as a handsome Broadway trade paperback: The debut cookbook of celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich, whose three cookbooks have netted nearly 320,000 copies to date. She's become famous for her Italian-American cuisine, but Lidia Bastianich's early repertoire focused on the distinctive Italian cuisine of Istria, her native land, located on Italy's northeastern Adriatic coast and bordering the former Yugoslavia. Encompassing recipes, memories, and photographs from her childhood, Lidia's premiere cookbook is in many ways her most personal. La Cucina di Lidia invites readers to savor antipasti such as Polenta with Fontina and Porcini Mushrooms or Shrimp and Mixed Bean Salad. Rice and pastas include Plum Gnocchi, Risotto with Squash Blossoms and Zucchini and Tagliatelle with Leek Sauce. Entrees feature fish (Swordfish in Sweet and Sour Sauce), fowl (Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Orange), meat (Stuffed Breast of Veal), and game (Duck Roasted with Sauerkraut). Desserts range from ChocolateZabaglione Cake to Apple-Custard Tart. La Cucina di Lidia highlights an Italian cuisine infused with the flavors of Eastern Europe. In this cookbook classic, Lidia Bastianich brings uncomplicated recipes yet unforgettable tastes to the table.