Roberta Muir Knihy

Like so many of the great food cultures, Sardinian cuisine is born of necessity. As a poor people, Sardinians have always foraged for ingredients in the mountains and fennel, asparagus, chicory and nettles; chestnuts, berries and honey. Rabbit, game birds and wild boar are still hunted in the traditional and time-honoured manner. And those living on the coast gather clams, mussels and tiny crabs from along the shoreline for soups and pasta sauces. The primary flavourings are the herbs that grow wild everywhere on the bay leaves, juniper berries, mint and sage, as well as the characteristic Sardinian myrtle, the leaves of which are used in stocks and marinades, and to scent roasted meat while it rests. Giovanni Pilu believes Sardinian cooking should involve fresh produce simply prepared, allowing the full flavour of the ingredients to speak for themselves. Since opening Pilu at Freshwater in 2004, he has expanded his Sardinian repertoire, cooking the food that's in his blood and close to his heart – and it is this food he shares with us in A Sardinian Cookbook.

Lombardian chef Alessandro Pavoni believes that cooking and eating are social events, and he celebrates this each day in his three Sydney restaurants, the two-hatted Ormeggio at the Spit, Chiosco by Ormeggio, and Via Alta in Willoughby, which specialises in the food of Lombardy. In this beautifully illustrated cookbook, Alessandro shares the treasured family recipes of his homeland and youth. Located in the north of Italy, Lombardy boasts a diverse landscape, from snow-covered Italian Alps and lakes, to the plains of the River Po, from where risotto rice hails. This geographic diversity is reflected in the food - cave-aged cheeses and cured meats, polenta, tender meat cooked over a wood-fired spit and, of course, risotto. Lombardy is home to some of Italy's most famous dishes, including osso bucco, bollito misto with salsa verde and mustard fruits and panettone, and Alessandro parts with his versions of these classics here, along with over 100 more of his treasured recipes, such as Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi, Buckwheat Polenta with Sausage and Gorgonzola, Risotto Milanese and Pappardelle with Elsa's Wild Boar Ragu.