The food of Tuscany
Specialities of the Tuscan table
Italian cuisine is famously regional, but if there’s one part of the country that could be said have exerted more gastronomic influence over others, then it’s Tuscany.
Search villas in Tuscany
If the above statement is true (and many Italians might contest it), it's largely due to Italy's most influential and enduringly popular cookbook: La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), first published in 1891.
Its author, the affable Pellegrino Artusi, lived in the centre of Florence for nearly 60 years, and it was the city’s thriving markets, its specialist food purveyors, its skilled artisans, and its fertile agricultural surroundings that provided him with all he needed to research, write, and hone his collection of recipes. In the first edition, there were 475 ricette, the majority of which were from Tuscany. Republished and extended numerous times over the last 130 years, Artusi’s “bible” has sold in its millions and transported Tuscan recipes into households across Italy, from Aosta to Noto.
Pride in provenance
Campanalismo – an age-old sense of pride in, and unwavering allegiance to one’s town, city or parish – is alive and well in Tuscany (see the rivalry between the different quarters of Siena during the Palio), and this phenomenon is also evident in the region’s cuisine. No matter where you go, you'll find that the locals are proud of their gastronomic heritage, and many of Tuscany’s most iconic dishes include provenance as part of their name. A few notable examples include bistecca alla fiorentina (a T-bone steak that’s beloved in Florence), cacciucco alla livornese (a fish soup that hails from Livorno), and cantucci senesi (crunchy biscuits with almonds and pine kernels that the locals of Siena love to dip in sweet, golden vinsanto wine).
This specification of provenance is also to be found in many of Tuscany’s gastronomic products, such as pecorino di Pienza (a sheep’s cheese), fagioli di Sorana (a type of cannellini bean), lardo di Colonnata (cured pork fat), ceci di Grosseto (a type of chickpea), and cipolle di Certaldo (red onions). And, in terms of meat, Tuscans love nothing better than the pork from their Cinta Senese DOP breed of pig (native to Siena) or the beef produced from their Chianina and Maremma cattle.
Eating out in Tuscany
Antipasti
Panzanella
A summery salad of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, basil and chunks of Tuscan bread tossed in a dressing of olive oil and vinegar.
Crostini neri
Toasted bread topped with a paté of chicken liver, capers and anchovy paste.
Piatto misto di salumi toscani
A mix of Tuscan cured meats, including prosciutto toscano, salsicce secche di cinghiale (dried, wild boar sausage), salame toscano, and finocchiona (salami with fennel and red wine). Crostini burro e acciughe con uovo sodo Toasted bread topped with butter, anchovies and boiled egg.
Primi (pasta dishes)
Gnudi
Delicate and fluffy balls of chard, spinach, ricotta cheese and grated pecorino (basically a ravioli filling without the pasta) served with a light tomato sauce.
Pici all’aglione
A thick, homemade form of spaghetti typical of southern Tuscany, topped with a fragrant tomato sauce and a dusting of mature pecorino di Pienza cheese.
Tordelli alla lucchese
A classic from Lucca: meat-filled ravioli tossed in a frying pan with butter and sage.
Pappardelle all’aretina
Broad ribbons of pasta in a delicious duck ragú – a tour de force from Arezzo.
Pappardelle al ragù di cinghiale
Pappardelle pasta exalted by a rich, slow-cooked ragù of wild boar.
Zuppe (soups)
Ribollita
A warming soup of cannellini beans, cavolo nero, onions, garlic, Tuscan bread, and, before serving, a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Pancotto di Viareggio
A hearty seafood and tomato soup thickened with bread, a classic from one of Tuscany’s major fishing ports.
Acquacotta
A vegetable soup that’s traditionally served with a poached egg and a grating of pecorino cheese. (Acquacotta translates literally as “cooked water”.)
Secondi (mains)
Peposo toscano
Gently braised beef stew with red wine and plenty of black pepper.
Matuffi lucchesi
Creamy polenta topped with a rich porcini mushroom sauce.
Triglie alla livornese
Red mullet cooked in tomato sauce.
Tonno ubriaco alla livornese
Tuna fish steak cooked with onions and red wine.
Costoletta di maiale Cinta Senese DOP
A succulent Sienese pork chop simply grilled.
Contorni (sides)
Bietola
Steamed chard with garlic.
Fagioli all'uccelletto
Slow-cooked cannellini beans with tomato, garlic and sage.
Porcini in padella
Sautéed porcini mushrooms
Cavolo nero ripassato in padella
Steamed cavolo nero sautéed with garlic.
Patate al forno
Roast potatoes.
Dolci (desserts)
Budino di riso fiorentino
A shortcrust pastry tart filled with creamy, vanilla-flavoured rice.
Ricciarelli e vinsanto
Almond paste biscuits served with sweet vinsanto dessert wine.
Cavallucci di Siena
Traditional biscuits from Siena made with honey, candied orange, cinnamon, sugar and walnuts.
Let us help craft your dream villa escape
Our Villa Specialists regularly visit each of our villas, so they’re perfectly placed to answer all your questions and help you find your perfect home from home.
