Ciao Italia in Tuscany: Traditional Recipes from One of Italy's Most Famous Regions
272
Ciao Italia in Tuscany: Traditional Recipes from One of Italy's Most Famous Regions
272eBookFirst Edition (First Edition)
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Overview
Famed for its bustling cities rich with art, history, and centuries-old traditions, as well as for its gently rolling landscapes filled with vineyards, cypress trees, and olive groves, Tuscany is one of the most popular regions in Italy. Mary Ann Esposito, host of the longest-running television cooking show, invites us to experience the tastes, smells, and traditions of this wonderful region, one delectable meal at time.
With eighty delicious recipes accompanied by anecdotes, travel essays, and cooking tips and techniques, this collection shares and explores the essence of Tuscan cooking. Cucina povera, country-style cooking, is the backbone of the Tuscan culinary heritage, and you'll see it in practice on an agricultural estate just outside of Siena, at a palazzino in the heart of Florence, at a popular restaurant in an industrial city, in medieval villages, and in the charming cities and towns across the region.
Simple, flavorful ingredients are transformed into authentic, mouth-watering dishes such as Scarola e Fagioli (Escarole and Beans), Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato Bread Soup), Patate con Olio e Ramerino (Potatoes with Olive Oil and Rosemary), Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Grilled T-bone Steak), Gnocchi di Patate con Salsa di Pecorino e Panna (Potato Gnocchi with Pecorino Cream Sauce), Panforte, Ricciarelli di Siena (Siena-Style Almond Cookies), and much more.
Complete with information on mail-order sources, Web sites, and Tuscan restaurants, this celebration of the region of Tuscany is a tribute to the people practicing and preserving its rich culinary traditions.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781429904100 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | St. Martin's Publishing Group |
| Publication date: | 03/26/2024 |
| Series: | Ciao Italia |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 272 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
About the Author
Mary Ann Esposito is the host of the public television series Ciao Italia, now in its fourteenth season. She is the author of seven successful cookbooks, including Ciao Italia in Umbria and Ciao Italia--Bringing Italy Home. She lives in Durham, New Hampshire.
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
The Lord and Lady of Spannocchia
THROUGH A THICKET of woods lit by dappled sunlight, Spannocchia came into view. It is an old agricultural estate not too far from Siena and has a history that goes back over eight hundred years. A quick glance at my Italian dictionary told me that the word "spannocchiare" means to strip maize. It seems an appropriate name for a farm. It is also the name of the Spannocchi family, who resided here in the thirteenth century and operated the farm under the old mezzadria (the word means "half") system, which meant that peasant sharecroppers lived on the land in exchange for working it and providing half of the crop to the farm owners. Written documents show that in 1225 Zacaria dei Spannocchi gave a portion of the land to the monks of the nearby Santa Lucia monastery for the protection of the soul of his mother, donna Altigrada. The remains of the monastery and the early medieval fortress known as Castiglione che Dio sol sa, "the castle that only God knows," are still part of Spannocchia today.
The farm, encompassing over twelve hundred acres of vineyards, olive groves, fields, and forests, is now under the management and ownership of Francesca Cinelli Stratton, whose father bought the farm in the early twentieth century. Francesca married Randall Stratton, an architect, and together they are the modern lord and lady of the estate. Meeting them for the first time and seeing the expanse that is in their care made me marvel at their dedication in striving to keep Spannocchia a working farm dedicated to mixing old traditional methods with modern-day organic ones.
It is clear to me that Francesca, whose grandfather was born near Florence and who oversees the household, the farmhands, and the visitors who come to Spannocchia, has the resolve and enthusiasm to carry on her family's legacy, and that Randall, who is soft-spoken and cautious, is eager to preserve the "living museum" aspect of the farm with its magnificent stone sixteenth-century villa, twelfth-century castle tower, and numerous outbuildings.
Most of the farm laborers are young, coming from all over the States. In exchange for room and board they work on the farm, clearing forests, planting crops, and fixing buildings. They preserve old ways while learning from the past.
On my arrival Randall was kind enough to give me a walking tour of the estate, which would be my home for the duration of our filming in Tuscany for Ciao Italia. I would be staying in room number three in the villa for three weeks, and I was kindly informed that a friendly ghost by the name of Pia inhabits room number five. There are no locks on any of the doors.
The grounds around the sand-colored villa are spectacular, with magnificent cypress trees lining the main stone road (strada bianca); they stand erect like missles bound for a Wedgwood-blue sky. The many private roads and trails tantalize the visitor to take a look at gigantic holm oak, chestnut, and pine trees. Deep into the forest wild boar are foraging, sharing space with rare breeds of animals including the Cintasenese pigs, with their wide belt-like center white stripe, and Colvana cows. There is also a gentle breed of sheep called Pomarancina that comes from nearby Pisa. The farm is committed to preserving these endangered species.
In il campo (the field) one can find plantings of ancient wheat strains such as farro, a cousin of emmer, as well as barley and fava beans for the pigs. The whole idea is to be self-sufficient, but, as Randall cautioned me, that idea had not yet sunk in with Francesca, who still thinks it necessary to travel to the nearby supermercato to shop for groceries.
Walking over to the vegetable garden I noticed a small chapel almost covered by the surrounding foliage; Randall told me that it is still used by visiting clergy to say Mass. This is yet another sign of how life was lived hundreds of years ago, when wealthy families could summon the clergy to say Mass in their own private chapel.
Over by the vegetable garden the sun beat down on interns in tattered straw hats as they harvested beans, tomatoes, herbs, and cardoons to be used in the kitchen that night as part of the evening meal. Tergo Trapassi, who oversees the vegetable gardens and vineyards, is an elderly gentleman. He began farming when he was only a boy of twelve, and he now plays the part of a wizened farmer perfectly with an encyclopedic mind full of gardening tricks and all kinds of advice at the ready. Just as we began to talk about Tergo's favorite tomatoes, Francesca invited me to join her and the farmhands for lunch.
The kitchen is located in the villa right next to the rustic dining room with its long wooden tables set with sturdy dishes and ready to receive the farmhands, who sit on no-nonsense chairs. Lunch is right off the farm: bean salads, olives, greens dressed with olive oil, homemade bread, slabs of pecorino cheese, and ham. The food is simple, plentiful, and delicious. Francesca and Randall told me about their vision for Spannocchia and their goal of maintaining the quality of life there for future generations. It is a tall order when one considers the many projects going on there, the ongoing architectural preservation, the management and restoration of the woodlands, and, of course, maintaining the organic farm.
After lunch I was led down a long corridor to my room. On the way we stopped in the library, which houses voluminous documentation about Spannocchia's beginnings and what kind of crops were grown and sold there. On the ceiling of the library is the Spannocchia coat of arms, depicting pannòcchia, corn cobs. The library holds a lot of secrets about Spannocchia, and I made a mental note to come back when time permited.
My room was sparse, like a farm room should be; there was a bed and dresser, and a bathroom the size of a small closet. On the walls were old photos of Francesca's relatives who once lived at Spannocchia. She was there, too, a beauty with brownish blond hair. I threw open the shutters and the commanding view of olive trees, fields, and old buildings more than made up for the sparseness of my room. The sun was beginning to fade at the edge of the landscape and Francesca and Randall suggested that I rest. At last I could give in to jet lag. I saw them out the door, they are perfectly suited to being the lord and lady of the estate and they made me feel right at home.
Lying down, I pulled the covers over me. Sleep came easily, even knowing that, two doors away, Pia might visit me at any time.
CHAPTER 2
The Mindful Gardener
Carciofi in Umido (Braised Artichokes)
Crema di Porri (Creamed Leeks)
Porrata (Leek Tart)
I HAD A DATE on the farm at Spannocchia with Tergo Trapassi, the head vegetable gardener. We would spend time together on that glorious spring day visiting the produce gardens that are his responsibility to oversee. As I walked to our meeting point I thought about my own vegetable garden in New Hampshire, and how even then, in mid-May, it was still too cold to put much of anything in the ground. But at Spannocchia the harvest of spring vegetables was under way. Just a tinge of jealousy moved through me as I swung open the garden gate.
Tergo, an older man with a sweet face, was waiting for me near the cardoon patch. He was dressed in a plaid shirt and wool hat. He looked like the perfect gardener, and I knew he must be when I shook his weathered, sandpaper hands, a telltale sign that he not only oversees but works the land as well. For close to half a century, starting when he was twelve, he has been wedded to the earth, so his wisdom about growing vegetables comes not from books but from experience. There was so much I wanted to ask him, so I started with what I thought our television audience would like to know. We start with tomatoes. According to Tergo, there are four kinds of tomatoes worth his time: mele (apple), San Marzano, the favorite plum variety to make tomato sauce ragu, cuore (heart), so named for its juiciness and size, and bombolini (little bombs), small, yellow cherry tomatoes. I pressed him further. Which tomatoes are best for salads? Tergo reinforced what I have long known: Italians like greenish plum tomatoes a bit on the hard side for salad because they hold up better, while ripe ones are pulpier and better for making sauces.
We walked along the path of the garden with the camera crew trailing us. "See that wild mint?" he asked. I plucked a sprig of mentuccia, but Tergo quickly corrected me and said that, here, mint is called mentmsta. He likes to make a drink with it when he is under the weather.
Next were cardoons (cardi), a thistlelike plant that in one part of the garden was taller than me. I have always shied away from cooking hem because they take so much time to prepare. Their sturdy stalks need to be peeled before boiling; I see them as a vegetable that will soon be forgotten on the younger Italian generation's table. Rarely do I see cardoons offered batter-fried, as was the custom at home when my grandmother gathered wild ones from along the roadsides.
One of my favorite vegetables, leeks, was growing there as well. It was exciting to see such vigorous and tall ones, and I complimented Tergo on them. He shook a weak finger at them and told me they are not his favorite, and his wife will not cook them. "Oh, but I should make you my leek tart," I told him, "that I know you would like."
Tergo guided me to his favorite artichoke patch, truly an impressive sight. He showed me the two varieties that grow there — one is red with spines and the other — his favorite, called morello — is green without spines. With a small pocket knife he snapped one off the stalk, whittled away the stem like a wood carver, and cut it into slices. "Try it, it is tender without cooking," he beamed. Tergo likes the slices just drizzled with olive oil and salt. Larger artichokes are prepared filled with bread crumbs, egg, ground pork, garlic, salt and pepper, and cooked in a skillet with olive oil.
There isn't much that Tergo does not know about plants. He grows a lot of fava beans. Some will be eaten raw with pecorino cheese, others will be dried and ground into flour, and some stored as feed for the pigs. In the campo (field) the wheat shafts stood tall, blowing in unison in the wind. Tergo grows farro, an ancient wheat grain packed with a lot of nutrients. It is harvested and sold in the farm store. I told him that Americans are just discovering farro and how to cook it, which brought out a deep belly laugh from him, since he has been eating it all his life.
What is a Tuscan garden without herbs? Tergo motioned me to the parsley, basil, sage, rosemary, and thyme growing in a sunny spot near the garden wall. He bent down to get me a bouquet of those, since he knew I would be cooking later in the farm kitchen. Although sage (salvia) seems to be most Tuscans' favorite herb, he is partial to thyme because he likes cheese. I missed the significance of what he was saying until he quoted an old Tuscan proverb: "If you want good cheese and a good time, send your sheep to graze on thyme." And since he always has parsley (prezzemolo) growing in the garden he is proud of another wise saying: "He (or she) is like parsley," a compliment meaning you can always count on someone being there for you, just as he can always count on having a ready supply of parsley.
Just listening to Tergo gave me a new appreciation for my own garden. His wise words and self-taught knowledge of the garden humbled me. I asked Tergo why he loves gardening so much after all these years. "The garden is a metaphor for life; it teaches me patience," he said. "It talks to me all year long, telling me to be observant, to anticipate, and be faithful to its needs. Everything that happens in the garden depends on me. If I work hard, it rewards me with good food coming from my own hands. What else do I need?" I could only answer "nothing" to this mindful gardener.
Carciofi in Umido
Braised Artichokes
SERVES 4
2 large artichokes Juice of 1 lemon
I scribbled this recipe for braised artichokes on apiece of paper and gave it to Tergo to have his wife make for him at home.
Wash and dry the artichokes. Roll them on the countertop under your hands to loosen the leaves. Cut off the stems and remove the tough outer leaves at the base — I usually remove two or three layers. Cut inch off the tip of each artichoke and trim the prickly thorns on the remaining leaves. Open the center of each artichoke and remove the hairy choke with a spoon. This is the part that Tergo does not have to deal with, since his artichokes are chokeless.
Cut the artichokes in half, then in quarters. Place the quarters in a bowl with the lemon juice; this helps prevent the browning of the surface of the pieces. Let them soak for about 20 minutes, then drain them and dry well.
In a small, heavy Dutch oven-type pan, heat the butter and oil. Stir in the garlic and cook until it begins to soften. Stir in the parsley and continue to cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add the artichoke quarters, coating them well in the seasonings. Sprinkle the salt over the quarters and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add the half-and-half or cream and half the wine and cook covered for 15 minutes. Add the remaining wine and cook until a knife is easily inserted into the leaves and heart. Serve with some of the pan juices.
Crema di Porri
Creamed Leeks
SERVES 6 TO 8
2 pounds leeks, trimmed and dark green leaves removed
Leeks (porri), part of the onion family, were favorites of the ancient Romans and are still much appreciated today in Tuscan cooking. In this preparation the objective is to achieve a thick, smooth, and creamy consistency.
Cut the leeks in half lengthwise. Wash them well to remove any dirt and cut them into thin slices.
Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan, add the leeks, and cook them very slowly until they soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour in the broth and stir to keep the mixture smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is soft and pureed-looking but not too thick, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the flame. Stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cheese.
Serve the leeks in small bowls accompanied with slices of toasted bread.
Porrata
Leek Tart
SERVES 6 TO 8
DOUGH
1 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 cup warm water (110°F) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 3 3/4 to 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
FILLING
2 pounds leeks,
The name porrata has a nice ring to it. It means "leek tart," and was originally made to commemorate religious functions staged in San Lorenzo during the month of August. This tart is considered to be an antipasto, but I like to make it as a main course. It may seem like an overabundance of leeks are called for — two pounds — but it makes the perfect amount of filling fo r a 101/2-inch tart shell pan. The yeast dough is easily made in a food processor or by hand, and you can make the filling two days ahead of time.
Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water and allow it to get chalky looking, about 5 minutes. Transfer the yeast mixture to the bowl of a food processor, or pour it into a large bowl if doing this by hand. Pour in the remaining water, the olive oil, and egg and combine well.
Add the salt and 31/2 cups of the flour. Pulse to mix the ingredients, or mix by hand. Stir in the remaining flour a little at a time until a smooth ball of dough moves away from the side of the processor or the bowl. The dough should feel soft and smooth and not be sticking to your hands. You may or may not need all the flour.
If you used the food processor, transfer the dough to a bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Otherwise, use the same bowl you worked the dough in by hand. Allow the dough to double in size (about 2 hours) in a warm spot.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Ciao Italia In Tuscany"
by .
Copyright © 2003 Mary Ann Esposito.
Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
| Acknowledgments | xi | |
| Introduction | xv | |
| The Lord and Lady of Spannocchia | 1 | |
| The Mindful Gardener | 5 | |
| When Tuscan Women Cook | 15 | |
| My Big Fat Tuscan Pizza(s) | 27 | |
| The Little Church with the Blue Door | 33 | |
| To Eat Like a Florentine | 35 | |
| The Merchant of Prato's Biscuits | 45 | |
| San Sepolcro's Secrets | 51 | |
| How to Read a Tuscan Menu | 60 | |
| Lucca's Legacy | 63 | |
| Dinner in a Palazzino | 69 | |
| Palazzo Davanzati | 83 | |
| A Taste for Saltless Bread | 89 | |
| A House with a View | 101 | |
| Maria Pia's Pleasing Pisa Pate | 105 | |
| Vineyard Kitchen | 115 | |
| In the Shadow of The Medici | 131 | |
| Practicing Al Fresco | 141 | |
| In Michelangelo's Neighborhood | 143 | |
| Sauce Sense | 155 | |
| Signature Sweets of Siena | 165 | |
| A Chef Goes to Tuscany | 181 | |
| Minding My Garden | 193 | |
| A Day for Vin Santo | 211 | |
| The Tuscan Pantry | 213 | |
| Favorite Tuscan Restaurants | 215 | |
| Mail-Order Sources | 219 | |
| Tuscan Food and Wine Web Sites | 223 | |
| English Index | 225 | |
| Italian Index | 231 |