Artichokes -- Arugula -- Asparagus -- Beans -- Beets -- Broccoli -- Cabbages -- Carrots -- Cauliflower -- Celery -- The chicory family -- Cucumbers -- Eggplant -- Fennel -- Garlic -- Green beans -- Horseradish -- Lacinato kale -- Leeks -- Mushrooms -- Onions -- Peas -- Peppers -- Potatoes -- Radishes -- Rapini aka broccoli rabe -- Spinach -- Stinging nettles -- Sunchokes aka Jersalem artichokes -- Swiss chard -- Tomatoes -- Truffles -- Zucchini -- Pasta -- Risotto rice -- Extra virgin olive oil -- Parmagiano-Reggiano -- Pecorino Romano --- Tuna packed in olive oil -- Anchovies, capers, chilis, spices, and herbs -- Red wine vinegar -- Butter and lard -- Bread crumbs -- Salt -- Tomato paste -- Bottarga -- Pine nuts -- The sweet tooth -- Prosciutto crudo -- Prosciutto cotto -- Guanciale -- Pancetta -- Caul fat -- Cotechino and zampone -- Lardo

One phrase summarized Marcella Hazan's cooking philosophy: "What you keep out is just as important as what you put in." She was best known for recipes listing no more than five ingredients. Yet before you can cook like Marcella, you must know how to shop. From artichokes to zucchini, anchovies to ziti, this book offers succinct, practical advice on how to choose vegetables, pasta, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto, and all of the key elements of classic Italian cooking. Marcella's authoritative wisdom and sometimes surprising tips will give cooks the foundation they need to prepare meals with simplicity and clarity. --