Want to cook like a real Italian? This is the book you’ve been waiting for. This book was born from what my grandmothers taught me — first at the table, and then in the kitchen. I had the privilege of tasting these dishes before learning how to make them myself. The recipes you’ll find here are the ones they prepared for me, but I’ve added a few more from different regions of Italy to give a broader taste of our culinary tradition. In Italy, the true guardians of traditional cooking have always been the grandparents. They grew up in the hard years after World War II, when almost nothing was available, and yet they learned to turn humble, everyday ingredients into meals full of flavor, nourishment, and comfort. This is real Italian cuisine: essential, sincere, and made with love. Today, between gourmet restaurants, ready-made sauces, and food trends that mix cultures and flavors, that precious knowledge is slowly fading. Even the most famous chefs rework the classics, moving further away from the practical wisdom of home kitchens. This series was created to preserve that memory. Each volume offers traditional Italian recipes, explained step by step — just like an Italian nonna would have taught them. It’s the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to learn real home-style Italian cooking — and maybe, one day, add their own twist. Though my grandmothers are no longer with me, I wrote this book with them as my co-authors. They are the true keepers of these recipes — of these flavors, these gestures, this love. This is the First Volume, First Courses with 88 recipes about Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi and other traditional Meals