Italy is a mecca for food lovers. The home of pasta and pizza, it also boasts a dazzling array of wines, cheeses, breads, vegetables and meats. Globally, Michelin-starred Italian restaurants and TV chefs celebrate Italian cuisine for its freshness and health benefits.

Now in paperback, Al Dente takes readers on a journey through Italy's regions and food history, exploring how its cuisine evolved. Including historical recipes, Al Dente is a captivating history of perhaps the world's most beloved cuisine.

'Dense with passion and expertise, written exquisitely...infinitely enjoyable...destined for classic status.' Huffington Post

'Parasecoli's knowledge of his subject is encyclopedic...the sheer volume of information packed into Al Dente makes it a valuable contribution to the field.' TLS

'This cool analysis of the geopolitical background to the delights of Italian gastronomy is a welcome addition.' Gillian Riley, author of The Oxford Companion to Italian Food