The Italian Baker, Revised: The Classic Tastes of the Italian Countryside--Its Breads, Pizza, Focaccia, Cakes, Pastries, and Cookies [A Baking Book]
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WINNER OF THE IACP AWARD • This classic tome of Italian baking covers everything from breadsticks and cornetti to focaccia, tarts, pastries, and more—now updated with stunning photography, new recipes, and comprehensive tips and tricks. “The Italian Baker takes you deep into the mind and heart of the Italian spirit.”—Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice and Peter Reinhart’s Artisan Breads Every Day Carol Field introduces artisanal doughs and techniques used by generations of Italian bakers. Every city and hill town has its own unique baking traditions, and Field spent more than two years traversing Italy to capture the regional and local specialties, adapting them through rigorous testing in her own kitchen. Field’s authentic recipes are a revelation for anyone seeking the true Italian experience. Here’s a chance to make golden Altamura bread from Puglia, chewy porous loaves from Como, rosemary bread sprinkled with coarse sea salt, dark ryes from the north, simple breads studded with toasted walnuts, succulent fig bread, and Sicilian loaves topped with sesame seeds. One of the most revered baking books of all time, The Italian Baker is a landmark work that continues to be a must-have for every serious baker. Read more
Publisher : Ten Speed Press
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : November 1, 2011
Edition : Revised ed.
Language : English
File size : 28.5 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Kindle
When I scan books on Amazon, it seems I always read the bad reviews first, the one star reviews. So did I when I came across this one. Perhaps, I think, the detractors 'get' something that those more affirmative do not. Reading the reviews here, I was struck that they missed something perhaps, of the essence of making bread, and so ordered the book. I was not disappointed. I have made bread all my life, and was looking for a new text, authored by a kindred spirit. Ms. Field's book does not disappoint. You see, bread is not cooking. It is alchemy. Elemental components - flour, salt, water, yeast, mixed in a secret way, to make something simple yet complex, easy yet hard. Did you ever wonder why one can take these same four ingredients, and make something that is either sublime or grotesque, and that each tastes a little different? Ms. Field writes a book that is captivating yet practical; she shares her secrets, the wizard of bread, in a way that is on one hand practical, and on the other magical - her text is as compelling (moreso!!) than the recipes. Bread is historical. Bread is spiritual. Bread is love. It is no accident that Christ broke bread with his disciples. This is my body. This is my food. This is my love for those with whom I break it. The book is in two halves. Let's say that the first is spiritual. What are the ingredients, how do they differ, how does one handle them, how are they combined, what is the history of each, what is the mythology of each? Do you want to make the perfect loaf? Learn the mythology before you measure out a cup of flower. The second half of the book is recipes. The recipes of bread all seem stereotyped: this much flour, this much yeast, this much water, etc., etc. Ms Field elaborates the subtleties of them all. I have made about half a dozen so far and all have been wonderful. Yet I think perhaps it is because I read the first half of the book before I started. You see, you need both. The right amount of flour, and the love in your hands. Read the first half, then use the recipe from whatever book you want. I am sure that the effort will be rewarded. One of my fondest memories is of my grandmother cooking dinner. I remember her kneading bread, as I came as a small child to her apartment after church. She sang in Italian as she worked on the loaf. Later, over dinner, the warm loaves were served alongside our pasta or roast. I remember her sitting quietly as we rolled our eyes in ecstasy, and consumed her labors. Now, after a lifetime of pursuing perfection in a mixture of baked wheat, water, salt and yeast, know what she was thinking; I have given this up for you. If you want recipes go elsewhere. If you want a spiritual experience, I heartily recommend this book.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2015 by John Tilelli MD
Format: Kindle
I lived in Italy for a while, and at the time, I was disappointed with the breads that I had readily available to me. There was good bread being baked, but getting to the bakeries that sold it involved an excursion. A few years ago I started baking breads at home, and started with the style of bread made by Tartine, a well-known bakery in San Francisco. These breads are delicious, and I highly recommend Chad Robertson's Tartine bread books as well. I wanted to diversify, and that led me to this book. I had borrowed it from my library, and made several breads from it. If a cookbook has one recipe that I really like, then I consider buying it. If it has two, then I feel compelled to buy it. If it has three or more good recipes, then it moves to my A-list. This book is on my A-list. I haven't had a bad bread yet. Of the breads that I have tried, the Pane di Como Antico, and the Grissini Torinesi are particularly wonderful. My wife told me the breadsticks were addictive. I agree. I made over two dozen, and it seemed like every time I walked through the kitchen there was one less breadstick in the basket. It must be evaporation. I've been exploring sources for some of the more difficult to find flours that some of her recipes call for, but there are many breads that involve only commonly available ingredients. I'm very glad that I bought the book. I got it in digital format. The only complaint I have is that the Kindle reader that Amazon offers for the Mac simply does not work on my laptop, and there are hundreds of other reviews of this reader that are negative. I can't blame Carol Field for this, but I do wish that Amazon would fix this issue. If it persists then I may simply buy books through Apple rather than Amazon. Fortunately, the reader provided for the iPhone works just fine.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2020 by A. M. Glaeser
Format: Hardcover
I usually try to be very open-minded when a cookbook doesn't have as many pics as I'd like. I tell myself that this recipe or that recipe really doesn't need a visual. But this book has such a rich array of new breads (to me anyway) that I wish there were pics to illustrate them as I am at a loss to imagine what they might look like. That deflates the balloon to get one started many times. There is a chapter in back about baked sweets (dolci) which includes biscotti, tarts, etc., then there's a section on lots of pizzas including thick Sicilian style, soups too, but for me this book was all about the breads. I have pages tagged for Olive Oil Bread, Sicilian Bread, Rosemary Bread, Five Grain Bread with walnuts, Raisin Bread, Sweet Corn Bread, Christmas Bread of Lake Como, Venetion Holiday Bread, Christmas Bread of Verona, etc...except for a few of these listed examples, I have no idea what the others should look like. The only way you would delve into an unknown bread is by first reading the title, then the opening blurb, then reading thru the ingredient list and then the step by step instructions. Unless you are a very passionate and motivated cook or baker,you will be put off by this. A picture as they say is worth a thousand words. Here it is so true. A picture can inspire and motivate you in an instant, especially with breads that are not commonplace. When spring approaches, I will delve into the Easter breads. What I DO like very much in the layout is the way each recipe allows you to use the method of choice. For each recipe, there are three separate clearly labelled areas to find your preferred method of creating your dough: BY HAND, BY MIXER, or BY PROCESSOR. Choose the method most comfortable to you. Then each process step is clearly italicized into sections as well with: FIRST RISE, SHAPING AND SECOND RISE, and finally, BAKING. It allows your eye to find what you're looking for quickly on the page. I also am glad that measurements are listed in cups, ounces, and grams. These recipes use active yeast exclusively, and since I use instant yeast, a formula on p. 22 says to multiply the amt. of active yeast by 0.75-thus, using less instant yeast to active. I found this out after the fact, it helps to read. It didn't hurt the outcome I must say, using equal amts. UPDATE: The 5-grain w/walnut bread bakes in a 9x4 loaf pan, very good. The Sweet Corn Bread and the Corn Bread from Lombardy I was not impressed with, would not make again. I wanted to make the pannetone but it was more complicated than the recipe in Artisan Bread in 5 mins, due to lack of time the necessity was to go with that one. I have other breads to try after the holidays. UPDATE Jan 2012: Made the "pane all'uva" (raisin bread), so easy, great dough to handle, wonderful result! Soft, tender, pillowy interior, crispy crust, loaded with raisins, addictive, yum. Interestingly, that recipe was one that DID have a picture and pulled me in...which goes to my point....pictures DO help! The raisin bread and another I just made, the Bread of Puglia, are my faves so far. The Pane di Genzano was good, not a wow. After that raisin bread, I'm afraid I will not find anything as good.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2011 by Joanne
Format: Hardcover
This is a beautiful book with a wide range of authentic recipes. Each one has an interesting description including the background of the recipe and special considerations. The instructions are detailed and easy to follow. I'm going to enjoy baking from this book. My only wish is that it had photos of the more unusual recipes. I've had to look some of the unfamiliar ones up on the internet.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2025 by Amazon Customer
Format: Hardcover
I bought the original edition shortly after it appeared in 1985, and until relatively recently it was my go-to book for both breads and sweets. Field introduced me and a lot of folks to high-hydration (wet!) doughs, to extended fermentation, and to a much wider range of possible breads. And while her tarts/cakes are less radical, I have found them well-adapted for home baking: reliable, tasty, and less fussy then their French counterparts. If you already have the old edition: go to the "Fresh Loaf" site and find a thread called "The Italian Baker, Revised" for a good discussion of what has changed. The bottom line is not much. The key upgrade for me is that metric weights have been added to all recipes -- much easier to work with and scale up and down. But if you already have the old edition and don't need recipes in grams, I don't think there's much reason to upgrade. If you're looking for your very first bread book: _The Italian Baker_ was a revelation in 1985, and it's still very good, but some of the new crop are even better. I would now suggest Reinhart's _Bread Baker's Apprentice_ as a first book, and if you don't mind a little geekiness I really like Hamelman's _Bread_. These books take you through a greater variety of types of bread in greater depth and detail. Why you still want _The Italian Baker_ on your shelf: it has a range of rustic breads, veg and herb breads, and sweet and festive breads that you won't find elsewhere. You'll find panettone recipes here and there, but I can't think of another book that is as thorough and helpful on festive Italian baking. Folks still remember the chocolate bread from this book that I made them 20 years ago. When I want something for a special occasion this is absolutely the first book I open. And if you just want to make the occasional nice loaf of bread, but are not ready to acquire a new hobby/obsession/fanaticism, you might find this book is written for you!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2013 by Replicant
Format: Hardcover
Excellent book enjoying it !!!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2025 by francesco Nero
Format: Kindle
Hat tip to Book Bub for the notice that the Kindle edition of this book was on sale for only $1.99. I don't have the previous edition so I can't say if you need to "upgrade" if you already have the older edition. I'm a collector of bread cookbooks, and my favorites so far are Chad Robertson, Steve Gamelin, Peter Reinhart, Hertzberg/Francois, and Ken Forkish. Field ranks up there with those authors. The other high-praise reviews for this book are pretty much spot on. You get more than recipes here. There is a lot of general bread and flour information, and general instructions up front, and you should read _everything_ from the beginning up to the first actual recipe. Like the other authors I mentioned, this book has a lot of tutorial about methods. You can learn enough to design your own recipes by studying this. It covers the various types of commercial yeast: active dry, instant, rapid-rise, and fresh. It also includes good tutorials about yeast starters, sourdough starters, biga, poolish/sponge. And it has recipes that call for those. Has a good explanation of how European flour classification differs from North American. The Kindle ebook has 401 pages *plus* the appendix and index. The subjects covered are pretty broad: bread, focaccia, a little bit about pizzas, breadsticks, rolls, pastries, pies, cakes, cookies. If you already have Forkish's, Hertzberg's, or Reinhart's bread books, you probably don't really need this one. But.... at only $1.99 (current sale price), I would still recommend this ebook even if you have all those others. If _Italian_ specialty breads, holiday breads, pastries, pies, etc., are your interest, then yes, by all means get this book even if you have the others.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2018 by Dave
Format: Hardcover
Carol Field's new edition of "The Italian Baker" has been released following the first edition published 26 years ago. Some of the same deficiencies hobble use of the book that are carried over from the first version over a quarter-century ago. Field consistently uses too much yeast in most of her bread recipes and, accordingly, most dictated rising times, which vary between 1.25 hours with a couple as much as 3 hours, are too brief. Rustic breads, in particular, need long, cool rising times, often as much as 5 or more hours, with doughs that were assembled with about half to two-thirds less yeast than called for in Field's recipes. The result is confirmed by the breads made according to her directions from the new edition: the breads with short rising times suffer from inadequate flavor and aroma development. Also, Field often recommends additional warmth for doughs that will accelerate their ripening. This also detracts from flavor and aroma. Field knows this because, at points in the new book, she mentions that Italian bakers she is acquainted with use much longer rising times, and some of her recipes for rustic breads do indeed call for long rising times. My own guess is that Field accelerated rising times in many cases because she was doubtful that Americans would tolerate long, slow rising times to produce regional and rustic Italian breads. Field should take note that a well-known lady nearly 50 years ago emphasized the need to use small amounts of yeast, cool water, and long rising times when she documented for the first time how it is possible to make authentic pain ordinaire at home. That lady was Julia Child, and her recipe for "French" bread in the second volume of her famous cookbooks, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," was a revelation to American bakers and set the gold standard for approaching the art of producing really good pain ordinaire. And there are other problems with the new edition of the "Italian Baker." Field emphasizes the value of a moist oven for the initial oven rise of shaped rustic loaves, but it is mentioned erratically in the recipes -- sometimes it is statd, sometimes the recipes are silent. She also has an unwarranted negative stance towards natural yeast starters. They are not so demanding as she claims, and, contrary to her argument that a pseudo-natural starter can be made by using a very tiny amount of baker's yeast, the fact is that what results is just a biga or poolish that hit its stride more slowly because of the tiny pinch of baker's yeast to start it. Baker's yeast bigas and poolishes do not smell like natural, wild yeast starters, and bread made with wild yeast starters do not taste like those made with baker's yeast. Finally, Field seems not to have internalized the dramatic surge in interest and the rapid evolution of home artisanal baking over the last quarter-century. For example, both French and Italian bakers often use autolyse that ultimately can produce superior bread by allowing the initial mixed dough to rest for up to a half-hour, or even more, before kneading the dough and setting it to rise. Autolyse does not exist in Field's repertoire. Similarly, the popularity and proven value in the last decade and more of folding doughs one, two, or even three times during long rising periods to increase gluten development, and the use of the same technique when forming loaves, has apparently had no impact on Field's methods. As an afterword, there is no bibliography.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2011 by NinthWard