Pappa al Pomodoro, Tuscan Bread Soup, Photo credit: http://www.dissapore.com/
Lardo di Colonnata, Aged six months in marble tubs near Carrara. Delicate & delicious enough to make anyone lard-friendly.
A peasant-age dish, ribollita is a hearty soup made with leftover bread, cannellini beans and inexpensive vegetables
The traditional steak of Florence, t-bone cut and from the Chianina or Maremmana breeds of cattle.
Wild boar ragu, so tasty you'll never be the same again. In rustic trattorias all over the region from Mugello to Maremma, we like it with pici or gnocchi (pictured).
Cantucci are Tuscany's most famous and traditional biscotti. They are baked twice, the first time in the shape of a loaf, then cut diagonally and baked again until they become crunchy. They are usually served with Tuscan Vin Santo, a dessert wine.
Necci, chestnut pancakes filled with ricotta sheep cheese, originating in the areas north of Lucca and Pistoia.
The famous fish stew from Livorno, cacciucco is a must-try when visiting the port city.
Pecorino di Pienza, a hard cheese, medium aged and made from ewe's milk. Best served on its own or with a little local honey (I love chestnut).
Common in Tuscany's Lunigiana area, Testaroli resemble a thin, soft and light pancake made from wheat flour, salt and water. Diamond-shaped, they are often served with homemade pesto.
Rolling hills, historical hill-top towns and some of the best art in the world. There are plenty of reasons to adore Tuscany, a region that I have called home for almost ten years. But if you had to ask me my first love (sorry Nico) I would have to say it's the food, the sheer variety of flavors and textures. Tuscan cuisine, which seems like far too fancy a word for the dishes that hail from 'cucina povera' or poor kitchens that use simple, local & seasonal ingredients is centered around wasting nothing. Using items such as stale bread and seasonal produce to make into tasty dishes ironically seems very rich to me.
What might surprise people, is the scale of different foods from the wild north in Lunigiana to the Maremma countryside, every town seemingly has their own juxtaposing take on common foods. This list includes 10 dishes we recommend sampling on your next visit. Pass a fork, will ya?
Also don't forget to browse our recipe section for ideas on interesting dishes from all over Italy.
