Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan (Knopf, $21, www.amazon.com)

FIRST PUBLISHED: 1992.
WHY: This is a compilation of the two books that made Hazan famous — 1973's The Classic Italian Cook Book and 1978's More Classic Italian Cooking. The recipes are meticulous but basic, rarely calling for an exotic ingredient. Every time you make one of these dishes, you come away a better cook, because Hazan doesn't just tell you to do something; she tells you why you're doing it. She is scientific in her precision, but she writes in a chatty, passionate voice. Take this sentence from her famous Bolognese Meat Sauce recipe: "There is no more perfect union in all gastronomy than the marriage of Bolognese ragu with homemade Bolognese tagliatelle." It's the "go-to book for classics and credibility," says a culinary consultant from Park Ridge, Illinois.
TRY THESE FIRST: Crisp-Fried Whole Artichokes, Tuscan Peasant Soup, Bolognese Meat Sauce, Carbonara Sauce, Ossobuco, Broccoli and Anchovy Sauce.