Cookbook Giveaway - Italian Street Food

January 3, 2017·Jenny

Italian Street Food: Recipes from Italy's Bars and Hidden Laneways by Paola Bacchia is one of my favorite titles of 2016. It is a glorious peek at the people and food found on Italy's beautiful streets.

For more information and to try a recipe from this beautiful book, please see my review and recipe post.

We are pleased to offer three copies of Italian Street Food to our EYB Members in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post:

Have you been to Italy and if so what was your favorite meal there?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won't be counted. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends February 5th, 2017.

Be sure to check your email spam folders for email notifications or check back on this post on the 5th of February for the names of the winners.

105 comments

AmySJanuary 3, 2017

I have never been to Italy, but I would love to someday!

matagJanuary 4, 2017

Yes, Bologna! Our first night there I asked the waiter to bring us food and wine that he liked. He brought us plate after plate until we were stuffed. We started cooking classes the next day and made some of those dishes.

TeruskaJanuary 3, 2017

We've not been to Italy yet. I will want to taste as many different things as I can, politely. :-D

megganJanuary 3, 2017

I had a rabbit ragu in Tuscany that was out of this world.

AGENT99January 3, 2017

I've been to Italy twice - and want to go back! Pick just 1 favorite meal? IMPOSSIBLE - they were all fantastic! I'll go with the local pizza joint recommended by the front desk clerk at our hotel in Venice - we told him we didn't want anyplace touristy - we wanted to eat where the locals do! Salad and pizza served family-style - so good, we went back the next day!

Judy_MassJanuary 3, 2017

I've been to Italy a number of times and had many fabulous meals, but the one that I can recall in minute detail was a Sunday meal in Aci Reale in Sicily. There were 10 in our party and we were greeted like family and seated. No printed menu- just 2 questions. Did we want meat or fish? Did we want red or white wine?
We chose fish and red. The meal consisted of about 8 different Primi, huge bowls of vongole e cocci, then the main plate was a platter with grilled local fish.
All was so fabulous and we were so stuffed after the grilled fish that there was a collective groan when asked what we wanted for dolce!
No worries, the sorbetto limone was the perfect ending!

mcrimminsJanuary 3, 2017

I have never been there. On my bucklet list to take cooking lessons in Italy.

TitchJanuary 3, 2017

I have not visited Italy though it looks like a lovely country :) x

dogsJanuary 3, 2017

I love real Italian spaghetti with tomato sauce and garlic.

madelainelcJanuary 3, 2017

In Venice I had the most amazing trout tortellini. Three giant pasta bundles arrived at our table in a light tomato sauce spiked with anchovies. I still dream about it.

laureljeanJanuary 3, 2017

I've been to Venice and fell in love with it! Hard to say what my favorite food was. Gelato like I've never tasted before, enormous meringues, but what I remember most was a very thin crust pizza in an outdoor cafe with a carafe of wine and lights strung in the trees and cats strolling around the diners.

sgumpJanuary 3, 2017

Alas, not yet--but Italy is indeed a dream destination. Can a single visit do justice to all the regional cuisines and specialties? (I doubt it.)

gjelizabethJanuary 3, 2017

Spent a week with my daughters in Florence 10 years ago. We rented a flat in a 14th century building and shopped and cooked and ate. The food was wonderful.

lhudsonJanuary 4, 2017

I have never been, but maybe someday.

KelosJanuary 3, 2017

I've been to Italy a few times, most recently to Sicily where I had some lovely Ravioli in Cefalu :)

LavnderJanuary 4, 2017

Love street food!

lkgroverJanuary 3, 2017

Its a tie between 1) Pappardelle pasta with rabbit sauce in Lucca (Tuscany)
2) Fishermen's risotto in Como (lakes region) -- had fish, shrimp, scallops, squid, octopus, clams, maybe more!

Visited Como, Florence, Lucca, Milan, and Siena in 2007.

lgroomJanuary 3, 2017

Worked for several years at a great Italian grocery and deli in Milwaukee. Learned to love a lot of things I never imagined I'd eat. My main goal in life is to eat my way around Italy.

jezpurrJanuary 3, 2017

I've never been to Italy but I love the cuisine!!!^_^

vicksterJanuary 4, 2017

I have never been. That's why I need this book!

ravensfanJanuary 4, 2017

I loved the creamy risotto in Milan.

sir_ken_gJanuary 3, 2017

I was in Italy many years ago - on a budget.
The pasta adn teh soups were great.

hae1123January 3, 2017

No, unfortunately not. It's on my family's bucket list, though!

annmartinaJanuary 4, 2017

I have never been.

rchesserJanuary 4, 2017

Nope haven't been to Italy...yet!

lselkeJanuary 4, 2017

I haven't been to Italy -- yet.

NikkiPixieJanuary 5, 2017

Gelato. My resolution to try a different flavour each day ran into problems when I encountered so many awesome ones that needed a repeat.... by the end of my month long trip, I was up to three or four a day!

Am901January 4, 2017

I have not been to Italy, but it is on my bucket list!

tennyogirlJanuary 4, 2017

No, but it's on the list!

ebsJanuary 4, 2017

I went to Italy as a grad student in the mid-eighties. Of course I couldn't afford to go to any nice restaurants, but I just loved caffe latte -

ccavJanuary 4, 2017

I was last there 20 years ago and remember everything was so delicious (even in the airport!); standout memories are: pizza in Assisi topped with fresh arugula salad, bar sandwich in Venice with tuna and green olives, beautiful sauteed nettles in a tiny trattoria in Trestevere

lils74January 5, 2017

I think my favourite - and what I miss about Italy - is the wide variety of pasta (both shapes and sauces). There are so many, and they are so unique. Yum!

KarinaFrancisJanuary 4, 2017

I've only been in my dreams, I will get there 1 day. I'd love to try a benchmark cacio e pepe, Ragu and pizza

Lem9579January 5, 2017

I have not been to Italy even though my great grandfather was Italian. I like basic Italian food, nothing beats Spaghetti and Meatballs in tomato sauce. Homemade from scratch of course.

deucemomJanuary 5, 2017

I am planning a trip to Italy in July 2017. Can't wait!

DeneenmJanuary 7, 2017

one of my most memorable meals was in a tiny little restaurant in Lake Cuomo. There were only two employees - The mom/Chef & The son/Waiter/barista. It seated maybe 15 people - with my friend & I being the only non-locals. We started w/ an amazing tuna crudo salad tossed w/ Sardinian bread, followed by THE most amazing fish dish I've ever eaten - it was baked with tomato, fennel, artichokes & olives. It was finished with a drizzle of the richest olive oil ever. The entire experience was a total joy.

MrRichTeaJanuary 5, 2017

I went to Venice, had amazing pasta dishes

SiegalJanuary 6, 2017

I've never been to Italy!!

stockholm28January 5, 2017

In Assisi many years ago I had this wonderful pasta dish with a truffle cream sauce.

sarahawkerJanuary 6, 2017

Yes, and I remember so many of the meals! But we spent one weekend in the lake district and I particularly remember a meal of trofie pasta with a wild mushroom sauce that was heavenly.

PennyGJanuary 6, 2017

I have not yet been to Italy. It's on the list!

t.tJanuary 6, 2017

I don't know if I can pick one meal---with the exception of Venice (where a lot of the food was touristy), I've had amazing meals in Italy.

GrooveHeartJanuary 4, 2017

I went to Milan 15 years age. I remember having the nicest ravioli I'd ever had

ToPieForJanuary 8, 2017

Sadly, I have not been to Italy, but I hope to visit in the future.

MariarosaJanuary 6, 2017

I've been many times as I have family who live there. My very favorite dish is polenta con sugo di funghi - polenta with wild mushroom sauce. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

infotropJanuary 8, 2017

I loved the fresh anchovies we ate at practically every meal in Cinque Terre.

OrielleJanuary 9, 2017

I have visited Italy a few times, and the best thing I have ever eaten was a simple pizza of mascarpone, parma ham and rocket. The pizza dough was light and fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside. The simple flavours were perfectly married.

LavnderJanuary 13, 2017

LOVE street foods.

imjammin2January 9, 2017

I have never been but I have wanted to go since seeing "Under the Tuscan Sun"

AsTheNightJanuary 13, 2017

I have not been to Italy, unless you count Little Italy in Philadelphia and NYC, my grandparent's house, my aunties' houses, my uncles' houses and, of course, my parents' house. And without a doubt, my favorite thing to eat in all those places was, is, and always will be Scrippelle ‘Mbusse.

CathymcJanuary 13, 2017

I have not been to Italy but hope to go there soon. I would love to start cooking from this cookbook to prepare for my visit.

ThermomixrJanuary 13, 2017

I have visited and the favourite meal was at Ristorante Cracco in October 2011 when we had white truffles from Alba served with a number of courses, in particular an egg en cocotte piled high with shavings of tartufo.

My favourite street food in Italy is lampredotto bagnato, but zampone, cotechino & sanguinaccio are great too.

MrsLefty2811January 8, 2017

No I haven't visited Italy, we had a week away booked there which we had to cancel as my husband's R and R leave from Afghanistan was changed. However I had so looked forward to trying Spaghetti Carbonara as that is my favourite Italian dish.

ninaarahgnisJanuary 11, 2017

I've been to Tuscany but it was so long ago I don't really remember what I had other than pizzas and and a calzone.

cocecitycookJanuary 10, 2017

I have been a couple of times. Love the pasta with gorgonzola cream sauce

rashayeJanuary 13, 2017

In Rome - fried zucchini flowers

NhcookingdivaJanuary 13, 2017

Went in 2015. Tried too hard to see EVERYTHING, so we spent 3 days each in Siena, Rome and Ravello (on the Amalfi Coast). Highlight was a cooking class in Rome. We first walked to he outdoor market, followed by the butcher shop and wine shop. Then cooked 5 course meal. INSANE! Spaghetti in fresh tomato sauce, gemelli with pesto, veal scalloping, etc. Such an amazing experience! Would love to go back and spend a week or 2 in Rome. So much we didn't see.

ccc333cJanuary 10, 2017

I have not been to Italy but would love to go someday. Until then I have to dream of the food and live vicariously through cookbooks. I started drooling a bit when I saw the title "Italian Street Food."

laurieskJanuary 13, 2017

I visited 30 years ago. Loved all the wood fired thin crust pizzas. Now you can get those anywhere in the US.

alirovJanuary 9, 2017

I haven't even been to Europe but Italy is at the top of my list when I do get to go!

akrupnickJanuary 13, 2017

I haven't been to Italy since I was in college. After years of American junk food eating, everything I ate in Italy was a revelation. Real food turned out to be really delicious.

LafauvetteJanuary 14, 2017

Not yet, but it's definitely on my list!

AnomalyJanuary 14, 2017

In the tiny southern Italian town of Paestum, after a morning exploring the amazing ruins of a city built by Greeks, we were served a platter of fresh locally grown tomatoes, several whole local smoked buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and bread all drizzled with olive oil. Simple but perfection.

petunia59January 13, 2017

I have never visited Italy, but it is at the very top of my travel wishlist!

MSRJanuary 14, 2017

The first morning that I was in Rome with my parents I ordered orange juice. It was a beautiful deep orangey red because it was made with blood oranges. I was in heaven.

damazinahJanuary 15, 2017

I've not yet been to Italy, but it's on my list. Italian food is my absolute favorite, so it'd be hard to pin down the food that I would most want to try. However, I think I'd really like to explore northern Italian food, which we in the US tend to be less familiar with.

PurplepeepersJanuary 14, 2017

authentic pizza done in a wood fired pizza oven

bfg67January 16, 2017

yes. probably just crema di pistachio gelato!

AMareeJanuary 14, 2017

When I was in Florence I had an amazing sandwich from a small cafe down a side street, it was just made up simply of cheese and some kind of meat but the flavours were incredible, the next day I had to go back and have another one which almost caused me to miss my bus to Rome

FoodycatJanuary 14, 2017

I've only been to Italy once, for a few days in Florence. The food was wonderful but the best thing I ate was at a cooking class I did with Judy Witts Francini. The most wonderful black rice salad with chickpeas and truffles.

Marcia1206January 17, 2017

I haven't been to Italy yet. That will change in May

JanSchollJanuary 13, 2017

The only place I have wanted to visit is Venice but I am terrified of flying. So I visit thru the foods I make.

screenstarrJanuary 15, 2017

I'm lucky to have visited Italy many times. During our last visit, we enjoyed our vegetarian meal at a Roman restaurant, Margutta RistorArte, so much, we returned for a second dinner. Not only is the seasonal menu terrific and the food delectable, but the setting, in an art gallery, is delightful, as well.

AnnpieJanuary 17, 2017

I think I could eat the book!

ballenJanuary 18, 2017

I've been to Italy several times and have had many many wonderful meals there so it's hard to pick a single favorite. One of the most memorable was an al fresco dinner at La Botticella in Trastavere, Rome. We simply asked the server to "feed us" and for the next three hours we feasted on antipasti, various preparations of pasta, wonderful vegetables, a rabbit dish, great wine, limoncello -- and so much more!

sharifahJanuary 20, 2017

I've been to Rome, Milan, Naples, Venice, and twice to Sorrento and Capri. Love love love Italy. I think I always go back to pizza and gelato, again and again. Unrivalled...

CloveJanuary 31, 2017

My favourite meal was in Venice. We went to the Rialto market and got beautiful fresh tomatoes, prosciutto, cheeses, bread and antipasto. We had this with a bottle of Italian wine on the terrace of our room on a Saturday evening as the church bells called to each other and a gondolier rowed past singing. Bliss.

pokarekareJanuary 28, 2017

Yes! I don't know the name of my favourite meal, but it was in a little restaurant in Rivisondoli at a restaurant owned by a friend's mother! We never saw a menu, we were just fed until we could eat no more!

carolwatsonJanuary 31, 2017

Been to Italy 6 times and twice on a wine and food tour which were excellent. Tuscany, Piedmonte and Sicily. Had fabulous food from the simple to the Michelin star, but most memorable was a simple spaghetti with fresh white truffle in Alba, with a salad and a bottle of Dolcetta. Heaven! We have a return trip in our bucket list.

pandapotamusJanuary 18, 2017

I've never been

jlh39January 31, 2017

It has been over 40 years since I was in Florence, Venice and Rome. Everything we ate was wonderful, but I remember the gelato most of all.

KIGirlJanuary 26, 2017

Many, many years ago I was lucky enough to visit Italy with my family when I was 10 years old. I don't remember a lot about the food, but do remember one lunch in Venice, we were in a restaurant upstairs.... I remember having simple but beautiful pasta with a delightful tomato sauce, but the most memorable part of the meal was my baby sister with her beautiful bode hair being besotted by all the waiters !

KatiefayhutsonJanuary 30, 2017

I have not been... yet

SheilaSJanuary 19, 2017

A number of years ago, I went on a food and wine tour of Italy, mostly northern Italy. It was in the fall, during truffle season. Upon arrival and before the tour started, we had dinner in a small neighborhood place in Asti. During dinner, a truffle hunter came in with a big box of truffles for the chef. The aroma when he opened the box was absolutely unforgettable!

ToPieForJanuary 29, 2017

Sadly, I have not been to Italy but I hope to go one day.

katietoddJanuary 31, 2017

There is fabulous street food to be found in all regions of Italy, but my favourite is eating pizza bianca stuffed with fresh figs and prosciutto from Forno Campo De Fiori in amongst the bustling market square.

pumpkindonutJanuary 21, 2017

20 years ago I did a semester in Italy & it feels like I left part of my soul there. The food I keep going back to was bruschetta sold on the street, so I've just realized that is my favorite.

saladdaysJanuary 18, 2017

Most memorable meal, probably not for the quality of the food, but the ambience was a Margherita pizza eaten at a pavement cafe in Naples!

NhcookingdivaJanuary 23, 2017

Would love this book. Loved visiting Italy, but didn't really get around to trying the street food. A missed opportunity.

ltsukJanuary 27, 2017

Venice, many years ago and I can't remember a particular meal.

DebkelliememberJanuary 31, 2017

Spent a glorious week in Venice last July, and a few years back a couple of weeks in Rome & Fiorenza - loved the Bistecca alla Fiorentina at Trattoria Mario (who don't serve pizza!)

stpbcyld50February 4, 2017

I've never visited but would absolutely love to visit and do a cooking class

Lmeyers520February 1, 2017

I went to Florence for a week. I have two favorite meals. One was at a restaurant Alto Arno for the best Bisteca Florentina and the other was a lunch at Centanni, we had Tagliatelli with Ragu di Funghi. Love it!!!

DessallaraFebruary 3, 2017

I haven't visited

buchanlFebruary 3, 2017

I have never visited Italy but it is a dream of mine to visit.

dartzie62February 4, 2017

Have travelled in many parts of Italy and everywhere there is something new to try. Special memories:
Pork Chops done on a grill at a road side cafe.
Pizza in Pisa! Seriously, we found a local gem of a takeaway but you could eat it at a small table on the walkway.
Stuffed Mussels in Bari, they were so good. Also tried their fresh cheese made locally, but didn't really like it.
Now we eat at a local Italian restaurant as often as we can.

coppelia100February 4, 2017

Unfortunately I have not as yet been to Italy, although it is on my wish list of places

obbigttamJanuary 31, 2017

Never been although my son is now 5 and we are in the early stages of planning a trip. Like anywhere else we travel we prefer the regional areas to the cities - it's where you get a better feel for the local culture and cuisine.

camtncookFebruary 2, 2017

We haven't been to Italy...

hippiechick1955January 31, 2017

Unfortunately I have *sigh never been to Italy but I promised myself I would make it there by age 65. Well, that's only 3 years away! I shall start packing now. If I had been the first thing I would try is ..... don't laugh...... pizza because I heard it is nothing like American pizza ( I'm not even a big pizza lover),

SfgordonFebruary 1, 2017

I've been to Rome twice. I felt that the restaurant food was fine but not quite so mind-blowing as I expected. However, I love the espresso granita con panna from Tazza d'Oro across from the Pantheon.

EleanorFordFoodFebruary 1, 2017

Risotto Milanese in Milan. Hands down.

redstararnieFebruary 4, 2017

I went to Italy a long time ago when I was eight. I still have lovely memories of the fantastic restaurant we visited where I discovered spaghetti vongole....

lcorrall88February 1, 2017

Yes I went to Italy for my cousin's wedding when I was little. I can remember the food was just amazing! Can't remember what everything was called, but I remember is was so yummy!

allthatsleftarethecrumbsFebruary 1, 2017

I have been to Rome and Venice and my favorite meal was a simple pizza and a glass of red wine.