I bought this book because my Italian mother-in-law could only pass on recipes with "an onion, some garlic and a bit of hot chilli" which meant nothing to me. Afterall, how much is a bit? Whilst I have no idea if these are authentic Italian recipes I do know the ones I've used have been a hit, especially the Garlic Prawns, and most would appear to resemble the ingredients my mother-in-law would use. Her mantra is "always use fresh", whether it's tomatoes, herbs, vegetables or meat. I certainly recommend this book for those who love cooking with fresh ingredients and want to learn the basics of Italian cooking, although if you've got olive oil, garlic, chilli and salt you're half way there!