Italian cooking

This book is a compilation of Italian recipes gathered from various regions.  This was a culmination of the efforts of The Italian Academy of Cuisine to preserve and document Italian cooking recipes. 

La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy

$30 (on Amazon)

Epicurious provides the Leek and Chestnut Soup recipe from the book.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. fresh chestnuts
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. leeks, sliced
• 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup beer
• Beef broth
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• Bread slices

Preparation

1. Clean and peel the chestnuts. Melt the butter in a pot and sauté the chestnuts, leeks, and potatoes.
2. Pour in the beer, let it evaporate, add broth to cover by 1 inch, and continue cooking.  
3. Pass the mixture through a food mill, reheat, and whisk in the cream and egg yolks. Heat, stirring until thickened, but do not let the mixture boil. Serve with bread.