Growing Up With Marcella Hazan

Barbara Banks The woman credited for bringing Italian cooking methods to the U.S. inspired her son to continue her legacy. He shares five of his family’s best recipes.

Five Recipes from Marcella Hazan, Chosen by her son Giuliano

While some teenagers go to great lengths to be different from their parents, Giuliano Hazan—only son of Italian food authority Marcella Hazan—embraced the idea of following in his mother's footsteps. At age 17, Giuliano began working as assistant at his mother’s renowned School of Classic Italian Cooking. He dedicated himself to mastering the simple, genuine flavors of Italian cuisine. Now, more than three decades later, Giuliano is an author, teacher, entrepreneur, and an admired authority on Italian cooking.

Hungry Beast asked Giuliano to pick five of his favorite recipes by his mother, and tell us a little about why these recipes speak to him, especially about his mother's cooking.

Tomato sauce with butter and onion

One of the simplest sauces to prepare, its rich, sweet flavor never fails to satisfy. It is one of our family's favorites.

Swiss chard sautéed with olive oil and garlic

This is Italian cooking at its best. Not fussy, just clean, genuine flavors.

Panzanella salad

Here, day-old bread, instead of being fed to the birds, is transformed with a few simple ingredients into a delicious salad. A great example of Italian ingenuity in food.

Grilled Belgian endive

This reminds me of the luscious radicchio di Treviso my parents would grill when I visited them in Venice.

Risotto alla Parmigiana

Though most kids would want a toy or candy, what my daughter Gabriella wanted me to bring back from Italy was a tube of white truffle pasta. Mixed into risotto is our favorite way to savor it.

Plus: Check out Hungry Beast for more news on the latest restaurants, hot chefs, and tasty recipes.

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