With the new documentary Marcella making waves, Esquire’s Alex Beth wrote a stunning profile of the woman who transformed the way Americans cook Italian food. We couldn’t be happier to see the legendary Marcella Hazan in the spotlight.
At Gustiamo, we’ve been waiting for this moment for years. Back in 2009, after watching Julie & Julia, we wrote a blog post asking for a movie about Marcella. We wanted the world to see how she changed the perception of Italian food in America—how she cut through the noise, refused shortcuts, and taught home cooks that ingredients are everything. Esquire celebrates her as:
“The woman who made us all Italian”, who “changed American cooking forever” and “demystified one of the world’s major cuisines for Americans trapped in a Wonder Bread world.”
Simple, Rigorous, Reliable Recipes
With her pragmatic style and reliable recipes, she focused on essential flavors, proving that Italian food isn’t about complexity—it’s about quality. Just look at her now-iconic Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter:
“If all Marcella had produced was her three-ingredient tomato sauce, she would have needed no other example to demonstrate that the truest flavors are the simplest.” —Victor Hazan
Simplicity is the keyword, when it comes to Marcella’s cooking. But “simplicity is the most difficult thing to accomplish”, says our own Beatrice, interviewed by Esquire. The article goes on to capture Marcella’s uncompromising approach:
“Marcella Hazan, in her day, proved a stern—eye-rolling, dismissive, intimidating—taskmaster. She wanted you to do it right, and she understood that rigor is the only pathway to achieving simplicity.”
At Gustiamo, we’re honored to have been part of her and Victor’s kitchen from day one. And we’re still here, making sure every home cook has access to the same indispensable pantry essentials Marcella insisted on. That’s just what we had in mind when we put together the Marcella’s Favorites Gift Basket, with Victor. It’s a collection of her most beloved ingredients, everything you need to cook the Marcella way.
Cook Like Marcella
Marcella writes in one of her many cookbooks:
“All that really matters in food is its flavor. It matters not that it be novel, that it looks picture-pretty… Do not strain for originality. It ought never to be a goal, but it can be a consequence of your intuitions.”
So, let’s honor her the best way possible: by cooking her food. Here are our favorite recipes among her classics:
- Risotto with Sausage and Borlotti Beans – A rich, comforting risotto showcasing Marcella’s love for simple, flavorful combinations.
- White Bean Soup with Parmesan Broth – Proof that the humblest ingredients—beans, Parmigiano rinds, and good olive oil—create deep, satisfying flavor.
- Fricasseed Chicken with Piennolo Tomatoes and Taggiasca Olives – A rustic, traditional Italian dish that highlights Marcella’s respect for regional ingredients.
- Pasta alla Busara – A Venetian classic, combining sweet shrimp with tomatoes and a hit of spice.