Laura Cassai

Laura Cassai won our hearts on Masterchef with her wonderful ability to create and produce beautiful Italian dishes that spoke of an ingrained knowledge of food and cooking well beyond her years. Laura lives, breathes and dreams food: she is the real deal. Her early memories consist of standing on a chair at the kitchen table mixing pasta dough alongside her mum and nonna. When she turned six she travelled with her family to spend two years living in Tuscany. There gathering ingredients, communal cooking and sharing food was the order of the day. From her Italian heritage, to her Australian home, and the cooking adventures and challenges of Masterchef, My Italian Kitchen is the culmination of Laura's experience in cooking thus far. Presented in a package accessible to both young and old, this is an offering of classic and modern Italian dishes. Chapters include: Antipasti, The Garden, The Sea, The Land, Sweets and The Pantry with around 75 recipes, including many of her famous Masterchef dishes such as Rolled gnocchi with porcini mushroom, caramelized onions and crispy sage; Grilled scampi with anchovy butter; and her modern take on tiramisu - Chestnut forest. Laura's accomplishments in the kitchen are an inspiration for young people nationwide, and her book -chock full of stunning photography, scrumptious recipes, and useful tips -means anyone can create beautiful, authentic Italian dishes in their own home!