Cookbook giveaway - The Italian Vegetable Cookbook

March 23, 2014·Darcie

Michele Scicolone has authored several cookbooks, most focusing on the foods of Italy and ranging from antipasti to desserts. The prolific author's latest effort is The Italian Vegetable Cookbook: 200 Favorite Recipes for Antipasti, Soups, Pasta, Main Dishes, and Desserts. We're delighted to offer five copies of the book.

You can read about Michele's love of vegetables and how they inspired this cookbook.

To win a copy, just answer the following question: which vegetable that you associate with Italy is your favorite?

Additional rules are:

Please make certain you have signed in to the EYB website (you don't have to be a paid member). This ensures that we have your email address and can get in contact with you.
The giveaway will expire in 4 weeks on April 19, 2014.

This contest is now closed. The 5 lucky winners, selected by random number generator are Clare1, deucemom, JanScholl, gjelizabeth, and michelle1009.

211 comments

MonaTMarch 30, 2014

Eggplant

earthnfireApril 1, 2014

peppers - stuffed, roasted, marinated, or raw - all good.

JuliApril 17, 2014

If it can't be tomatoes, then zucchini - both yum and oh so versatile.

sailorMarch 31, 2014

young broad beans crushed on top of bruschetta or made into a salad with prosciutto and soft goat's cheese.

NancithMarch 30, 2014

I love eggplant, unfortunately, not too many other members of my family do.

laureljeanApril 14, 2014

Artichokes

nmclallenApril 10, 2014

Tomatoes!

HelenBMarch 31, 2014

Cavolo Nero (Tuscan kale)...eat it almost every day.

KarincsApril 15, 2014

Eggplant! (Unless olives are a vegetable??)

mbass7April 17, 2014

Courgettes

LilyB612April 15, 2014

Brussels sprouts!

JulesLPMarch 31, 2014

Eggplants for eggplant parm and artichokes

heckler0077March 31, 2014

Tomatoes may be a botanical fruit only introduced to Italy half a millennium ago, but they've come to be a central component of the cuisine

marthmitchApril 10, 2014

brocollii rabe----wonderful!

percussion03April 7, 2014

So many! Absolute favorite is tomatoes, though.

slimmerApril 12, 2014

Garlic!

RickPearson54April 11, 2014

Eggplant

xaocfrauApril 7, 2014

Fennel!

SusangardenerMarch 30, 2014

Eggplant...love it

DcotterApril 10, 2014

Eggplant. Grilled with olive oil, lemon and garlic.

Juliebs2April 10, 2014

Eggplant. Especially with peppers added. And tomatoes. And...

amylou61April 8, 2014

I love tomatoes, especially San Marzanos. I cook with them all the time.

smccandlessApril 10, 2014

Must go with tomatoes!

crandall57April 1, 2014

Fava beans, yum

TaxladyApril 10, 2014

Asparagus and Fennel.

ecasey830April 6, 2014

Eggplant!

pokarekareApril 4, 2014

I love all vegetables, but I am going with fungi used as a vegetable - I love mushrooms af all kinds and especially truffles! I am addicted to their perfume!!!!!!!!

troothtellerApril 10, 2014

It might choke Artie, but it won't choke me - what else but the artichoke, either stuffed, unstuffed or pickled in a jar. I once put it in skillet lasagna for two and loved it; but my girlfriend, my dinner guest, didn't. So, I have to make it when she's not around.

EricalgrMarch 30, 2014

Tomatoes!

dineindivatamiApril 14, 2014

Tomatoes

FoxygourmetApril 10, 2014

Broccolini!

eanApril 15, 2014

artichokes

lindedApril 12, 2014

Artichokes - carciofi any way you prepare them. Boiled, fried, braised, grilled - all delicious. The beautiful purple ones in street markets in Florence - stunning!

AimeeKApril 16, 2014

Artichokes always seem Italian to me...even if I don't eat them in an Italian restaurant!

cristinbApril 7, 2014

Asparagus. Just took some fresh roasted asparagus out of my oven!

DorothyApril 3, 2014

Eggplant. I should cook it more frequently than I do!

ltsukMarch 31, 2014

fennel, but only if it's cooked!

NaomiManygoatsApril 10, 2014

Tomatoes! No Eggplant! No Tomatoes! Oh....Eggplant!

fjainApril 11, 2014

Carbones!

ABiffinMarch 30, 2014

Tomatoes, baked with olive oil.

debkellieApril 3, 2014

Cavolo nero! Preferably done this way: Spaghetti with potato and cavolo nero (Spaghetti con papate e cavolo nero) try for yourself : online at http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/spaghetti-potato-and-cavolo-nero

dinnermintsApril 11, 2014

Gotta go with fennel

hklmnrtzApril 10, 2014

. . . tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes . . .

sipaApril 14, 2014

Artichokes.

NsteinenApril 10, 2014

Eggplant!

teslacaApril 15, 2014

Baby artichokes.

TerraVitaApril 18, 2014

Artichokes

psj926April 17, 2014

tomatoes, especially in summer at the Union Square farmers' market!

jbnyApril 10, 2014

as a Grand Hotel article once said -- Finocchi, che passione!!

infotropMarch 30, 2014

Arugula, with many tied for second.

RuthGoApril 17, 2014

I'm going to go with zucchini, the Italians really know how to treat it.

BrandeemkApril 3, 2014

I just love Romanesco. A perfect balance that lends itself to so many dishes.

pers1stenceApril 7, 2014

more than the vegetables (tomato!), i love the herbs - basil, oregano, etc

krobbins426March 30, 2014

Fennel!

highlandgirlApril 16, 2014

Tomatoes I always see that as more of a veg... if not red peppers :)

BradeileenApril 10, 2014

Asparagus! Especially this time of year. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner.

louie734March 30, 2014

Is basil considered a vegetable? No? …but tomatoes are considered a fruit. I'm confused!

ldsalyerApril 13, 2014

It's so hard to choose! Zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes (which I know are a fruit) and artichokes are all so delicious and versatile.

jd5761March 31, 2014

peppers (or capsicum)

LadyLApril 11, 2014

Fresh porcini mushrooms - fabulous Tuscan dish

CindyinOttawaApril 6, 2014

Mushrooms, because mushroom risotto is my favourite comfort food!

RobynSApril 14, 2014

Cavolo nero – the Tuscan staple. Essential in great minestrone or ribollita; perfect with garlic, anchovies and chilli through orrichiette; nutritious - rich in lutein, vitamins K, A, B & C, manganese, copper, fibre, calcium, iron and more; easy to grow in your own backyard and pick fresh for cooking. There is no substitute!

SarabcleverApril 7, 2014

Tuscan kale.

jrubottoMarch 31, 2014

Eggplant (Melanzana)!!!

Technically, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are "new world" but the Italians certainly make them shine!

tagubajonesMarch 30, 2014

stuffed zucchini flowers…or artichoke.

wanda72April 10, 2014

Tomatoes or asparagus would be my favorites.

trudys_personApril 3, 2014

I was going to say tomatoes, but they are a fruit! And did I read somewhere that they are a "new world" transplant to Italy? So, I pick zucchini!

caitmcgApril 12, 2014

Eggplant!

TooManyBooksApril 11, 2014

Radicchio!

Kirstin_the_KiwiApril 13, 2014

asparagus

JoBillsApril 8, 2014

Tomato

worstkeptsecretApril 18, 2014

Aubergine :)

nomadchowwomanApril 18, 2014

Fennel, no--artichokes, no--eggplant.
OK, I'm going with fennel.

KelandabApril 19, 2014

Tomatoes - although they are officially a fruit, they are so versatile

rlmillerMarch 23, 2014

Eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini - how to choose?

pgarciaMarch 24, 2014

I think Fennel!

tcjanesMarch 23, 2014

Eggplant.

GailMBApril 19, 2014

Garlic ... love it ... especially good roasted :-)

kathMarch 23, 2014

I love eggplant!

JaneApril 22, 2014

This contest is now closed. The 5 lucky winners, selected by random number generator are Clare1, deucemom, JanScholl, gjelizabeth, and michelle1009.

GillBMarch 23, 2014

Got to be tomatoes!

sharifahMarch 23, 2014

Aubergines...

chawkinsMarch 23, 2014

Broccoli rabe.

porsiniMarch 23, 2014

Artichokes -- baby artichokes sauteed with white wine and herbs, but especially the big ones, steamed and then dip the leaves in a mix of olive oil, herbs and parmesan cheese. It's a wonderful way to savor a vegetable, leaf by leaf, slowly getting down to tender heart.

patsyluMarch 23, 2014

Broccoli rabe.

hillsboroksMarch 23, 2014

Red bell peppers always make me think of Italy and red wine!

ZosiaMarch 23, 2014

Fennel.....raw, grilled, roasted, braised...

AndieG52March 23, 2014

Artichokes.

janhunterMarch 23, 2014

Pomodoro (Tomatoes) simply for the the flavour.

chowfamilyMarch 23, 2014

Tomatoes. eggplant artichokes...

cambridgecookApril 19, 2014

definitely eggplant

FunkyViriditasMarch 23, 2014

Well, I was about to say tomatoes and then I remembered they're a fruit! I could say garlic, but that would be too easy. Eggplant! Ding, ding, ding. That's my final answer :)

JanehenApril 19, 2014

Peppers

cpauldinMarch 23, 2014

garlic or peppers

Clare1March 23, 2014

Brocolli, especially with pasta

alistairricApril 18, 2014

Tomatoes. I use them in so many ways, from salads to pasta sauces.

westminstrMarch 24, 2014

All of them! But if I have to pick one .... broccoli rabe.

TitchMarch 23, 2014

Green Beans, I Love Green Beans They Have A Lovely Taste & Can Be used In So Many Dishes Too

aargleMarch 23, 2014

Fennel would be my favourite - so versatile. The irony is I disliked it intensely in my twenties. This book looks like a must get.

black5April 19, 2014

cabbage

jupfluteMarch 23, 2014

Artichoke

angiehoggettMarch 24, 2014

Plum tomatoes, juicy and great for sauces and soups

racarson39April 18, 2014

Tomatoes, especially in a Caprese salad.

MargaretsmallMarch 24, 2014

Tomatoes which is crazy since they come from America. But enthusiastically adopted by the cannyitalians who know a good thing when they see it.

westerMarch 23, 2014

Just one? Oh, the torment... I'll have to go for eggplant/aubergine.

mjrrMarch 24, 2014

It has to be fennel. Delicious.

madamepinceMarch 23, 2014

I would hate to be forced to choose between fennel and broccoli rabe -- but fennel might have the edge, because of fennel frond pesto.

jifarMarch 24, 2014

Has to be the tomato!

axelgrabbildMarch 24, 2014

puntarelle!

vicksterMarch 23, 2014

Eggplant, with eggplant Parmesan being my favorite dish.

jaelsneMarch 23, 2014

Love broccoli rabe

vbrownsMarch 23, 2014

Hard to pick one favorite, but I guess I will go with zucchini.

KarinaFrancisMarch 23, 2014

I have to join the legion of eggplant fans

jazza1March 23, 2014

Eggplant - I love Eggplant Parmigiana, it's my favourite dish!

ksg518March 23, 2014

Tomatoes and eggplant. I can't wait for summer!

ToppermomMarch 23, 2014

Zucchini and in particular, zucchini blossoms. I wish they were more readily available in our markets. So delicate-- great as stuffed zucchini blossoms--also fried, risotto, ravioli, garnish for soup or pasta. Love them.

esztlilMarch 24, 2014

Tomato and fennel

TeemoMarch 23, 2014

Asparagus!

BlytheSpiritMarch 23, 2014

eggplant.

boardingaceMarch 23, 2014

Tomatoes

GrinsallMarch 24, 2014

Garlic, especially roasted sothe bulbs go gooey and sweet!

angelanorrMarch 23, 2014

Eggplant. I make eggplant walnut meatballs all the time.

stockholm28March 23, 2014

Tomatoes.

jannetterodenApril 19, 2014

Tomatoes

LovestocookMarch 23, 2014

Cavalo Nero - now dreaming of a lovely bowl of ribollita in the Tuscan hills.

tuxedo14March 23, 2014

Fennel...all of it...bulb and ferns

SamanthaVMarch 23, 2014

I love artichokes.

KerreyMarch 23, 2014

Zucchini, love it!

lizwinnMarch 23, 2014

Eggplant!

LauraMarch 23, 2014

Can I say tomatoes, even though they're a fruit? If not, then I'm going with eggplant.

decklededgesMarch 24, 2014

Tomatoes!

nurseyMarch 23, 2014

Yep, got to be aubergine!

matagMarch 23, 2014

Peppers

sheridarbyApril 18, 2014

olives

jlh39March 23, 2014

I adore broccoli rabe!

SallyMarch 23, 2014

Eggplant.

MelanieMarch 23, 2014

For me, it's fennel!

nihalhMarch 24, 2014

Eggplant

NikkiPixieMarch 23, 2014

Yes, being technical, 'vegetable' excludes peppers, tomatoes, zucchini.... so I'd have to say asparagus! :o)

CorvetteGuyMarch 24, 2014

It would have to be fennel. Raw, braised, roasted or grilled. Can't forget fennel in pasta con sarde.

Tinala523March 23, 2014

Tomatoes may be a fruit, but since they're on the cover of the book, it must be ok. I just love them! Fresh with basil, on pizza, in sauces, juices, fried, stuffed, baked, or right off the vine...yum!

maisie_grnMarch 23, 2014

How could it not be tomatoes!

CjelineoMarch 24, 2014

My favorite is Brussels sprouts!

elizaMarch 24, 2014

I love eggplant.

SoccermomMarch 24, 2014

tomatoes!

Lisa ShockMarch 30, 2014

Artichokes!

sgumpMarch 26, 2014

Yes, yes: broccoli rabe (a.k.a. rapini)

neatonMarch 29, 2014

Fresh from the garden tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar

Smuz90March 28, 2014

Pachino tomatoes with oregano.

JuliaMarch 29, 2014

Eggplant, tomatoes, fennel, broccoli rabe. I love them all!

vinochicMarch 24, 2014

Eggplant. Yum!

LizRuevenMarch 26, 2014

spinaci!

nigelandjessMarch 25, 2014

Zucchini - so versatile! Especially love deep fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta.

ACanadianBakerMarch 30, 2014

Aubergine or Eggplant, on my last visit to Italy it was prepared in so many different ways, all equally delicious!

kalex426March 29, 2014

I have to go with Roma tomatoes, with garlic as a very close companion.

Aggie92March 24, 2014

Definitely fennel. Love it raw!

acorgihouseMarch 25, 2014

Eggplant. Caponata was the first thing I made when I bought my first house, had a bonafide kitchen, and could afford to go to the farmer's market for veggies. I made jars of it and ate it on everything from toast to pasta. Still love it, probably thirty years later.

GrywhpMarch 27, 2014

Tomatoes with basil

cocecitycookMarch 29, 2014

what would I do without the ever versatile tomato!

LFallonMarch 27, 2014

Everyone thinks tomatoes when Italy is mentioned. However,I love artichokes especially the hearts in olive oil.

MiChal.626March 25, 2014

Tomatoes and garlic

deucemomMarch 24, 2014

Hmmm, zucchini.

SoRefinedMarch 26, 2014

I know tomatoes are a new world fruit and not an Italian vegetable at all, but the heart wants what it wants.

chris2468March 24, 2014

To win a copy, just answer the following question: which vegetable that you associate with Italy is your favorite?

definitely garlic

rahiscockMarch 29, 2014

I would say tomatoes, but like others have pointed out, it's a fruit. So another vote here for eggplant, but also a vote for onions, both red and white varieties - I use white onions in so much Italian cooking to give flavour to a dish (pasta sauce, risotto, minestrone, etc), and red onions in various Italian salads, that I associate onions with Italy as much as I do tomatoes, basil and eggplant. All hail the humble onion!

vavadMarch 29, 2014

Definitely artichokes. I eat them stuffed, fried, roasted, braised, baked, in dips, in stews, from jars, from cans, or frozen. They are versatile,delicious, and oh!...so Italian!

jlewis7112March 25, 2014

I would say garlic, since tomatoes are technically a fruit

CloveMarch 30, 2014

My new favourite - fennel!

Queezle_SisterMarch 26, 2014

fennel, most certainly.

rheluneMarch 30, 2014

Aubergines

michelle1009March 29, 2014

I love cooking with eggplant and peppers

SchoutMarch 29, 2014

Fava beans!

ae.bellMarch 27, 2014

Definitely tomatoes

pwsnookMarch 25, 2014

Eggplant!

napierMarch 25, 2014

red capsicum- the best I have ever had were simply roasted in a wood fired oven then drizzled with olive oil and balsamic and sprinkled with basil.

mjirschMarch 29, 2014

while not a vegetable, I love basil

lsgourmetMarch 26, 2014

Aubergine

paulabucharlesMarch 27, 2014

Tomatoes & eggplant!

ballenMarch 25, 2014

Fennel. I first tried it in Italy and have loved it ever since. Can't believe I went most of my life without ever having tasted it.

YarniaMarch 26, 2014

Broccoli rabe

debbztMarch 30, 2014

As tomatoes are a fruit it has to be the mushrooms.......a good substitution for meat if one has to but also a great vegetable!

greglanegawlerMarch 30, 2014

How to pick?? Is pizza a vegetable? Certainly tomatoes, olives, basil are not. Damn!!
I will pick pumpkin as I have had pumpkin ravioli with a butter and sage sauce here in Gawler, South Australia (cooked by me for friends and family) and had in Rome last year. Just wonderful.

And food for thought.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable

Cheers from Oz.

lovemykitchenMarch 28, 2014

Dill! Wonderful Dill.. Try Rick Steins recipe Briam: Taverna Foros's Oven baked Summer Vegetables with Dill... just stunning.

kathundtMarch 26, 2014

I love fava beans with pasta in the spring.
Stuffed artichokes.
Grilled Eggplant
Just to name a few.

dibrimsMarch 30, 2014

Where would we be without the quintessential tomato - its flavor, colour, aroma, taste and incredible versatility? Dress it to kill in a caprese, slice it and whack it on bruschetta , dice and toss with herbs for a quick summer pasta, simmer it with meat for a lusty winter warmer, mix with your vegetable melange and sprinkle with cheese for a simple main or gratin side, and slow, slow roast for those sweet,semi-dried little flavor punches. It's got to be the tomato.

isabelleMarch 29, 2014

Eggplant, while not as widely associated with Italian cuisine as the tomato fruit, is my all time favorite when done well! Thanks!

mreilsMarch 25, 2014

Fennel - raw or roasted!!

AmandaLeigh710March 24, 2014

Tomatoes and peppers!

SMcCreightMarch 25, 2014

Artichokes! Carciofi! You can fry them, boil them, steam them, stew them, braise them, roast them, grill them, pickle them. You can eat them hot, warm or cold. You can eat the tiny ones raw and thinly sliced. They come in so many sizes and shapes! They are beautiful to look at and delicious to eat! What more could you want from a vegetable?

smtuckerMarch 30, 2014

artichokes

JaneCMarch 26, 2014

Tomatoes

erronemilymikeyMarch 26, 2014

One of my most favorite Italian vegetables is rapini.

MelMMMarch 25, 2014

Hard to choose, but I'd go with the greens. Cavolo Nero, or perhaps arugula.

JanSchollMarch 30, 2014

Is garlic a veggie? It is in my house! Love it in any dish, on peanut butter sammiches and as a broth. But roasted is the best!

hopefulauMarch 29, 2014

Roma Tomatoes

gjelizabethMarch 30, 2014

Dried things. I brought home utterly delicious sun-dried tomatoes and fragrant mushrooms from a trip to Florence.

doloresmayMarch 29, 2014

Zucchini flowers and Eggplant

alicebrodyMarch 29, 2014

Eggplant if it has to be just one, so many marvelous things to mKe with it

SpudqueenMarch 26, 2014

Love 'em all, but I'll go with broccoli rabe.

herbyMarch 25, 2014

Tomato! Particularly Roma tomatoes that make the best ever tomato sauce. And if are allowed an herb, let's add some basil to the tomato sauce and be instantly transported to heaven :)

suzefishMarch 24, 2014

Definitely eggplant !

wonderwhatifMarch 26, 2014

Tomatoes of course!

crimewriterkateMarch 29, 2014

If tomatoes don't count, I'll have to say fennel.

BeckiemasMarch 29, 2014

I feel like tomato should have been my first thought, but it was zucchini! There's something so flexible and understated about the zucchini. I particularly love the Italian classic method of shallow frying batons of zucchini (after salting and draining, then coating with flour), then sprinkling with red wine vinegar and letting them sit with some bruised garlic. Oh I want this now!

bellasfMarch 25, 2014

Can I please say a porcini? Oh my! Porcinis. If you're being technical, I'll go with fennel.

fimaganhallMarch 30, 2014

Well, I like them all really! Fennel is a favourite though.

CloudlessMarch 29, 2014

What? Only one? Eggplant, and fennel. But where do I rate tomato passanta? And broad beans? I'm not confident with artichokes yet, even though I grow them every year, expecting it all to come together one day...

mdagesqMarch 26, 2014

Escarole. I would say tomato but it's a fruit.

vtilakMarch 27, 2014

Capers - wait is that a vegetable? And also artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes... I really only use these vegetables in Italian dishes...

OrdinarybloggerMarch 29, 2014

That has to be tomatoes.

farmkatMarch 27, 2014

my first thought was zucchini. then tomatoes.