Cook translates Italian food for Kiwis

Kiwi cook Jo Seagar began her nationwide tour for the release of her new book, Italia, in Masterton on Wednesday, where she was hosted by Hedley's Booksellers to raise money for Wairarapa Hospice.

"It's been my life's dream to have a gorgeous cookbook like this one, but the recipes in it also convey an achievable kind of style, so it appeals to a few markets - people who want easy cooking and people who just want a gorgeous book, so I'm very pleased with it and I'm quite excited."

Seagar has a cook school in Oxford, Canterbury, but learned these latest recipes at the Italian Cook School in Eggi, Umbria, which she set up with the help of local cook Mamma Fenisia Vittori.

"The House of Travel puts the trips together, the group lives in the villa, Mamma Fenisia Vittori comes out from the village and she teaches us.

"Everyone thinks a mamma looks like an Olivio lady sitting on the back of a donkey, but she's quite glam really.

"She teaches very regional, very authentic, rural, rustic Italian cooking. She doesn't do anything else but cook."

Italia takes Mamma's recipes and makes them achievable meals that families of any means can make.

"So these recipes are my take on her recipes because while she can take a whole day preparing something, I'll chuck it in the food processor and it's done in two minutes, so I think that really appeals to New Zealanders.

"In Italy, it's about what you've got, what you grow. Italian cooking is born out of frugality and poverty, like learning how to feed a family on three tomatoes and a bit of bread."

With so many delicious recipes and beautiful photographs filling the pages of Italia, it's hard for Seagar to choose a favourite, but said a recipe for black pepper, lime juice and buttermilk gelato "jumped out" at her.

"I know it sounds strange, but it's like a mouthful of cold fire and ice and it was something I had never tasted before, which is thrilling for a foodie to experience.

"I was also able to make some kiwi dishes for Mamma, from flavours that she had never tasted before, like coriander, which is not Italian, coconut milk and sweet chilli sauce on raw fish."