You all know that I can be obsessed with Italy because I identify so strongly with my ethnicity. So, I try not to focus too much on it when I write this column. But this week I received a cookbook that must be shared.

One of my chief complaints is that everyone tends to focus on the big three cities — Rome, Florence and Venice — when they visit. There’s so much more to the country. And besides, when I travel, I don’t like to be around a lot of American tourists. So, most of my travel is to the overlooked provinces and the small towns that most people have never heard of.

That’s why I was so excited to receive Christopher Kimball’s newest cookbook, “Backroads Italy” (Voracious/Little Brown, 400pp, $42 hard cover). He and his cohorts traveled from Altomonte to Treviso to find regional dishes that will make your tummy sing. Many of these creations were new even to me. It goes to show that even an old dog like me can learn some new tricks.

As you can imagine, Italy has many seafood dishes because no matter where you live, you’re never more than about two hours from the seacoast. In Ancona, the author discovered pasta with shellfish and tomatoes. Calabria towns revealed chickpeas and clams, and in the Marche region, they found spaghetti with tuna, green olives and tomatoes.

Naples is noted for its superb pizza, such as the famed pizza Margherita, named for Queen Margherita. In the Piedmont region, you must try farinata di ceci, a pizza crust made with chickpea flour and topped with cheeses and thin-sliced prosciutto. In Bari, on the sea just at the top of the “Italian boot heel,” try the tomato-olive focaccia.

Treviso is famous for its radicchio, so of course, they have a dish for that — radicchio and red wine risotto with pancetta. In Cremona, they try to go one better, creating risotto with sausage and herbed breadcrumbs. Or go for the three-herb risotto made in Milan.

I’ve already tried the ricotta and cherry jam tart when I was in Rome a few months ago. Yes, there’s a recipe for it. But I missed out on the caprese chocolate and almond torte. Until I get to Italy again, I’ll have to make it in my own kitchen. It’s a good thing my Meyer lemon tree is busting out all over because now I can make the Amalfi-style lemon cake. It’s a sponge for the lemon syrup poured over it.

In addition to recipes, the book is packed with entertaining insights about the locales and people who are linked with their cuisines. And the photography is so luscious that you may want to eat the pages!

OK, I have to admit it. This cookbook makes me long to be basking in the Mediterranean sun, sipping an Aperol spritz and watching the parade of tanned bodies walking up and down the seaside.

Egg replacements, anyone?

My daughter Donna-Renée is vegan, so egg prices aren’t hitting her like they are the rest of us. If you’re still trying to determine how to limit your egg budget, there’s a way you can use egg substitutes for baking.

The Kitchn website tested various replacements, using a vanilla muffin mix and comparing results. They used eggs for the first batch, so they had something as a “control.”

The substitutes included aquafaba (liquid drained from garbanzo beans); ground flax seed; chia seeds (whole or ground); arrowroot powder; applesauce; mashed banana; baking powder mixed with water and oil; and carbonated water. Silken tofu was also considered, but it’s not always easy to find. So, it was not included.Aquafaba was used straight — 3 tablespoons to replace each egg. The seeds were mixed 3:1 with water, and the arrowroot was mixed 2:3 with water. Banana mash, applesauce and carbonated water were measured at one-quarter cup to replace each egg. Baking powder was mixed at 2 teaspoons, with 2 tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil for each egg.

So, which one produced the best results? Surprise! It was the carbonated water! Testers said the muffins were identical to those baked with eggs — moist, tender and with a crispy top.

The baking powder mixture performed like the carbonated water, except the tops were crunchier. If you like crunchy tops, then this is the one for you.

At the bottom of the list were the aquafaba and the seeds. In fact, the chia seeds imparted a grassy flavor. Of course, there are commercial egg substitutes, but these other options are probably already in your pantry.

Tip of the week

I love my Swedish dish towels made from bamboo. They’re about the size of a washcloth, but they are really absorbent, and they last a long time. And they’re better than paper towels for wiping up spills and cleaning countertops. Wring them out, use again and toss into the wash.

Recipe of the week

Radicchio, the little heads of red lettuce, can be on the bitter side. To balance that out, this recipe uses creamy rice, red wine, flavorful pancetta and rich butter. It may become one of your favorite ways to make risotto.

Radicchio and Red Wine Risotto with Pancetta

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 ounces pancetta, chopped

3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into three equal pieces

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 cup carnaroli or Arborio rice

1 cup dry red wine

8 ounce head of radicchio, any bruised leaves removed, halved, cored and chopped into half-inch pieces, about 3 cups

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1/2 cup), plus more for serving

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 6 cups water to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cover. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine pancetta and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook and stir until pancetta has rendered and starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer half the pancetta to a bowl. Set aside.

2. Return pan to medium-high. Add onion. Cook, stirring, until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until the grains are translucent on the edges, 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits until mostly evaporated, 3-4 minutes.

3. Stir in half the radicchio, plus two cups of the simmering water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, stirring often and briskly until most of the liquid is absorbed, 8-10 minutes. Add another 2 cups of hot water. Cook 6-9 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.

4. Add the remaining radicchio and another ½ cup hot water. Cook, stirring, until the rice is loose but not soupy and is tender with just a bit of firmness at the center, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in the remaining butter and the Parmesan. If the mixture is stiff and dry, stir in more hot water a tablespoon at a time, to achieve proper consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped with the remaining pancetta, chives and more Parmesan.