good, basic Italian cookbooks?

[blueaguave]

I speak decent Italian, and understand the culture and history of Italy. Therefore, I DON'T need an expensive, lavishly illustrated coffee table cookbook/culture guide.
What is the best Italian cookbook that teaches the BASIC sauces, techniques, etc. Which olive oils to buy, which spices to stock your kitchen, etc. Not necessarily the most recipes or illustrations. I mean I love eating the stuff. Maybe its time to bumble around the kitchen and try to cook some.
Thanks!

I have 'Lidia's Italian Kitchen' by Lidia Bastianich and it has a lot of very good, easy to make recipes. She was on public television here and made everything look so good and it called for ingredients I had.