Who shaped the way you think about food?
My philosophy of cooking is based at the hearth. Family cooking with Grandma, Mom, and aunts is what I am about . . . with the freshest products from the garden, all cooked with love.
With whom would you like to cook?
I would love to cook with some of the most traditional mom-and-pop cooks in remote, regional towns of Italy.
Who was/is the most influential person in your life?
My maternal grandmother. Everything she cooked was grown, butchered, milled, and cured within a five-kilometer radius from her kitchen.
What does your kitchen lack that you dream of having?
A large hearth
What's your most indispensable tool, cookbook, or piece of equipment?
A spider (pasta ladle). I love to fish out my cooked pasta and vegetables with a spider.
What is in your fridge right now?
Milk, butter, eggs, yogurt, mineral water, Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine), white wine, cherry peppers, olives, prosciutto, Grana Padano, gorgonzola, taleggio, mortadella, fennel, carrots, celery, green onions, artichokes, asparagus, fresh horseradish, garlic, and onions
What are your three favorite must-have pantry staples?
Olive oil, pasta, and pepperoncini
What is your favorite dish?
Pasta and vegetables in some sort of combination
What are your healthy eating strategies?
Diversify, practice moderation, and enjoy
What is your favorite indulgence?
Reese’s peanut butter cups
What food or food trend do you think is overrated?
Caviar
What do you want to eat to feel better when you're sick?
Capon soup or boiled rice with olive oil and Grana Padano
Having tried it once, what will you happily never eat again?
Curried anything
Lidia Bastianich has popularized traditional Italian cooking in America. She is the owner of five Italian restaurants: Felidia, Becco, and Esca in New York City; Lidia’s Kansas City; and Lidia’s Pittsburgh. She also hosts two Italian cooking shows on public television and has written three Italian cookbooks, La Cucina di Lidia (Lidia’s Italian Kitchen), Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen, and the newly released Lidia’s Family Table.
