LONDON, July 23 — Jamie Oliver shared images of his latest cookbook on social media yesterday, a 400-page ode to the guardians of authentic Italian recipes: Italy’s nonnas.

For his latest cookbook, Jamie Cooks Italy, the celebrity chef hit the road in Italy with his long-time chef friend and mentor Gennaro Contaldo, visiting Italian grandmothers who were willing to share the secrets of their family recipes.

"So the idea of this book was to go around Italy to reference the last generation of nonnas and get their wisdom and their inspiration,” Oliver said in a short Twitter video.

"All the nonnas were concerned that the next generation of Italians were not cooking the same as their generation so they were really passionate about us, me and Gennaro, sharing these recipes on TV and getting people excited about food again.”

The book was two years in the making and took the pair "from the top to the toe of Italy, via the mountains and islands, and across all the seasons,” Oliver said.

Divided into chapters like antipasti, meat, pasta, fish, bread, pastry and sides, the book features 140 recipes that include classic carbonara, stuffed focaccia, baked risotto, and lemon tiramisu.

It’s also his second cookery title dedicated entirely to Italian cuisine.

The self-confessed Italophile also published Jamie’s Italy in 2006.

Jamie Cooks Italy retails for £26 (RM138.50) and will be released August 9. — AFP-Relaxnews