Review: Italian Style Pizza Starter Cookbook.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 2, 2013
First, clarifications for an American Kitchen  a medium/moderate setting = 350*F.  This used to drive me crazy when I watched some British Cooking shows.Second while I was hoping for a variety of pizza base recipes a la Chicago Deep Dish or New York Style.  The book does say in the "Book Description" "Italian" Style and have to admit I never saw Deep Dish when I was in Italy.Third a Bechamel Sauce is your basic white sauce, butter, flour and milk.  If you have made country white gravy, you've pretty much made a Bechamel Sauce.Fourth when my family traveled to Italy, my children ordered quatro fromagi pizza.  They were devastated to get cheese on thin bread.  No sauce or extra flavoring at all.  As an American it seemed so dry.  We quickly learned we had to actually ask for a sauce to be put on any pizza we ordered.  So when you see a recipe in this book without an extra sauce.  Make one with and one without.  See if you like it.I love looking at cookbooks.  Usually the self published ones that I have found have been severely lacking.  While this is not comprehensive it is quite good.When looking for a cookbook that I want to keep, I look for several things. None of the items are deal breakers, but the more "yes" answers, the more likely I will recommend it.1.  Does the book describe it's ingredients.  It discusses yeast and flour slightly.  Gives recommendations as to what tools you will need.2.  Number of Servings.  It does say two pizzas, but it doesn't say what size the pizzas are.3.  Cooking/Preparation Times. Given for each recipe.4.  Ingredient Amounts:  Usual tsp, T, cup measurements are used.  In some places oz and grams are given as well.5.  Temperature:  Water Temperatures are given in F* and C*.  Oven temperature states "Medium".6.  Layout:  Recipe Title, Number of Pizzas, Preparation Time, Ingredient list-one ingredient per line.  Dough and topping ingredients listed together, sauce ingredients listed separately. Directions with each major step having it's own paragraph separated by a space.7.  Anecdotes: None.8.  Illustrations:  Each Pizza recipe is shown in a bright crisp color photograph.9.  Clickable Table of Contents10. Helpful Tips or Suggestions.  Some.As I read the cookbook I have to agree with one of the other reviewers.  Yes most of the recipes are exactly the same when it comes the dough and sauce.  However, the pairing of ingredients and toppings is what makes this book interesting.  In addition there is a recipe for stuffed pizza, calzone, and mini pizzas.  There are both vegetarian and nonvegetarian options.At the end of the book the author also gives suggestions for what to do with left over dough and has some simple recipes for some bread.Now to my issues with this book.  Even though it says Italian, I still would have like to have seen a couple of base variations.  I would have also like a couple of recipes for different types of sauces.  i.e. sweeter, spicey, chunky, garlic.  Then the recipe could recommend which went best with the various ingredients.  But this is just what I am looking for in  Pizza cookbook.This book delivers on it's title and description.  The pizzas look easy to make and they are in the Italian Style.I recommend this cookbook.