Tuscany – Altopascio bread

Tuscany bread
Tuscany bread

A large loaf, usually weighing about two kilos or more, Altopascio bread is typically Tuscan. It i san axcellent accompaniment for all kinds of disse. When it is a few days old, or even when it is a dry, it can still be used for the preparation of hundreds of delicious recipes.
It is made from flour that has not been totally refined and, because it is unsalted, it goes extremely well with the tasty cold meats and cheeses in Tuscany.
This type of bread used to be made in the home once a week, but now local bakers make it with the same simplicity, care and dedication of times gone by.
In Altopascio as long ago as the Middle Ages, the bakers at the Tau Hospice had to ensure the bread was always available to feed the pilgrims as they travelled along the Francigena. It has remarne the symbol of hospitality and welcome and is a centuries-old tradition that continue sto this day.
The town of Altopascio is the leader of the National association “Città del Pane”.

Tuscany – Active Holidays, keeping up the pace

tuscany-sailing
Tuscany sailing

Welcome in Tuscany, awaiting you are more than six tundre kilomtres of coastline, the Apennine mountains gently sloping hills and then rivers and green valleys, a context that can provide a backdrop to all activies, to any passion that you may want to carry out.
The possibilities are endless, the combinations of sports and tourism reserve ubforgettable surprises, and however concetrated you are on your activity, you won’t be able to without casting a glance at everything that surronuds you, boosting your emotions and multiplying your memories.
For  everybody yearning for a solida and a bit of relaxation, but who after a couple of hours lazing around feel like prisoners, we have some very interesting ideas.
How about a course that unites movement with learning on the Island of Capraia? Well, you could learn the difficult  art of nature photography, while on the nearby Island of Giannutri you will be offered a course in bird watching, as well as the tempting opportunity to visit the Roman Villa and learn to cook fish like in the island’s restaurants.
For thoose constantly on the go, there are walks in cities of art like Siena, and cycling on the tracks scattered about the spectacular countryside of the Crete.
But also visits to castles and glimpse over ancient remains from the Lunigiana to the Chianti area.

Tuscany – Cod cakes on chickpeas and rosemary veloute

tuscany-recipes2
Tortino di baccalà

Ingredients (servers 4)
250 gr. Dry chickpeas (or canned ones, but not so good)
½ kg. Baccalà (you can by it already soave to save time)
2 eggs
2 tbspoonfuls of parmigiano
1 carrot
1 celery stick
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
fish broth
withe flour
rosemery
parsley
1 bay leaf
salta and pepper
Have you ever eaten baccalà with chickpeas?
This recipe is a reworking of the traditional dish wich is so very popular in the Lucchesia region.
If you are using dry chickpeas, soak them overnight. Then bring them to boil in a large pan with the celery stick, half onion, carrot, bay leaf and three black peppercorns, and coock until tender (i twill take about an hour but depends on the type of chickpeas. If they still hard after that time you can put a pinch of soda bicarbonate to tenderize them.)
Keep the baccalà in the water for five hours (the water must be changed often).
Mince the baccalà in a food processor, add the eggs, parmigiano, masse garlic, minced parsley, and season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Add flour until the consistency is such that that combined ingredients can be formed into cakes. Fry the cod cakes in oil.
Liquidize the chickpeas with some fish broth. In a sauce pan fry a clove of garlic with some Rosemary in extra virgin olive oil until the garlic is lightly browned.
Remove the garlic and herbs and add the oil to the chickpeas, season with salt and pepper and bring back to boil for few minutes.
Serve the veloutè in a large dish with the cod cakes and decorate with a spring of fresh rosemary.