At first glance Tuscan food appears simple:

Not much in the way of spices other than pepper, few sauces or seasonings other than olive oil, and only a minimum of herbs. Even the bread is unsalted.

In truth it's not simple at all, but rather elemental: Tuscans seek out the best meats, vegetables, fish, and fruit, and once they have the best don't want to add anything that might distract. Chianina beef is superb, for example, so season it with just a little salt when grilling up a Fiorentina (porterhouse steak).


The Land:

Tuscan topography is quite varied, with everything from coastal flatlands to mountains that rival the Alps, and much of the region is quite wild. In the past chestnuts were the staple food in the mountains, while grain grew well in the lowlands, together with olives and grapes, and thus provided the framework of the diet, which was supplemented by vegetables and meats, in particular pork and beef.

Tuscan Summer Favorites:

Panzanella, summer bread salad
Pappa al pomodoro, a tomato pap
Pomarola, Tuscan tomato sauce
Fried zucchini flowers
Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a Porterhouse Steak

Tuscan Winter Favorites:

Pasta al Sugo di Carne, pasta with meat sauce
Lasagne al Sugo, with meat and béchamel sauces
Ribollita, bread and kale soup
Scottiglia, a rich stew from the Aretino
Peposo, an ancient peppery stew from Impruneta
Fagioli all'uccelletto, tomatoey beans (often with sausages)
Fagioli al fiasco, beans baked in a flask
Cacciucco, Livorno's tasty fish stew

Favorite Tuscan Sweets:

Cenci: Wonderful Carnival fritters
Frittelle di Riso: Sweet rice fritters for San Giuseppe
Schiacciata alla Fiorentina: A delicate orangy Easter cake
Schiacciata con L'Uva: Rich, flavorful wine grape pie
Migliaccio: a rustic chestnut flour cake
Panforte: Siena's great Chtistmas sweet
Ricciarelli, Siena's rich, chewy orange-laced amaretti

A Tuscan Meal:

A festive Tuscan meal begins with crostini, slices of toasted bread spread with a dip, followed by either pasta or soup; menus tend to be seasonal with more substantial fare in winter, for example pasta e fagioli (bean soup), ribollita, pasta with game sauce or meat sauce, or lasagna in winter, and lighter fare in summer, for example panzanella or pappa al pomodoro, or pasta with tomato sauce.

The main course follows the same dichotomy, with heartier roasts and stews in the winter months, and more quickly cooked grilled or even fried entrees (meat or fish) in summer. Salads are standard year round, seasoned with olive oil vinegar, and salt -- no pepper -- and beans are also extremely popular. Fresh when available, but dried when there is no choice.

Desserts, with a few exceptions, are quite simple, and for those who want more, Tuscan pecorino, a mild to sharp sheep's milk cheese, is superb. Enjoy it with a pear, or with a glass of good wine.

Recipes on Site