Tuscan recipes

Tuscan products

Formenton Otto File
Somewhere it’s called “the King2s corn” afer the fact that King Vittorio Emanuele II, appreciated a lot this kind of cereal and encorauged the production in Piedmont.
In Tuscany, or better in the Lucca district, it’s called “formenton”. In the smallest sectors of history and culture the small corn of this wild cereal are still cultivated. Long and thin, sorrounded by eight ranges – not one more, not one less -of big grain, golden or red depending on the variety.
Once they’re grinded one obtains a rustic flour to prepare several delicious dishes: a classical “polenta” to serve a side of cured meat ad stewed, some cakes and a special bread enriched in zibibbo raisin, even served to accompany cured meat and cheeses.
The seeding is in may, after the ploughing ant the fertilization of the soil.
After the blossoming the young plants are thinned out and harvested manually.
After some 20-30 days of drying, the grains are picked and at last the griding, mainly in the old stone mills of the Valley.
The “ottofile” corn is a characteristic variety nowadays almost lost. Only 250-30 q. are produced every year and sold mostly in the area and in the rest of Tuscany after the growing success of the natural food.

Web-site: www.ottofile.it (only in Italian)

Tuscan products

Chestnut flour

Tuscan products: chestnut flour of the Garfagnana
The cultivation of chestnuts in Garfagnana area, has its origins far in the past and has spread across the whole area. Chestnut flour is made from the harvested fruits. This is the sweet flour which comes from stone milling of the previuously dried chestnuts.
Historically, the drying of the chestnuts is done in a specifically designed barn called “metato”. Today those barns are built from stone or brick and are generally distributed throughout the chestnut woods, of varying size and divided halway up by a floor made of sticks of wood laid next to each other (the “canniccio”), over which the chestnuts are laid. A small flameless fire made from chestnut logs is set below, the smoke rising through the chestnuts to dry them slowly for about 40 days, leaving them ready to be shelled and ground.

The most widely used varieteies are Carpinese, Pontecosi, Mazzangaia, Pelosora, Rossola, Verdora, Nerona and Capannaccia all suitable for transformation into flour. The maximum production capacity allowed is 3,500 kg per hectare.
The DOP Chestnut flour of the Garfagnana is very fine to the touch and on the palate, the colour varying from white to dark ivory and a typical chestnut odour.

The area of production includes the municipalities of the province of Lucca – Castelnuovo Garfagnana, Pieve Fosciana, San Romano di Garfagnana, Sillano, Piazza al Serchio, Minucciano, Camporgiano, Careggine, Fosciandora, Giuncugnano, Molazzana, Vergemoli, Vagli, Villa Collemalndina, Gallicano, Borgo a Mozzano, Barga, Coreglia Antelminelli, Fabbriche di Vallico, Bagni di Lucca.
The flour is used to make a particular type of polenta, and sweets or cakes such as “castagnaccio” and “frittelle“.
During the two wars of the 20th century it was the food that allowed the local population to survive.

Recipes from Tuscany

Tuscan recipe

Salted cake with fresh onions, zucchini and zucchini flowers. Camaiore style.
Camaiore is a lovely little town 24 km NW from Lu7cca on the SP1 road.
This excellent recipe is well know only in this area and is traditionally prepared at this time of year with the first harvest of local zucchini.

Ingredients (serves 6)
6 fresh onions
12 zucchini flowers
12 fresh young zucchini
2 eggs
4 tablespoonful flour
4 tablespoonful extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper

Method
Slice the onions and cook them in olive oil, add the finely chopped zucchini flowers and the zucchini cut into small cubes of roughly 1 cm.
Heat the oven to 210/220° C.
Pour the zucchini/onion mixture into a bowl, add the flour and the grated pecorino cheese, spoonful by spoonful, and the eggs one by one.
Keep stirring, and add one tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper and luke warm water to obtain the thickness of a soup. Pour the mixture into an oiled baking tin, spread with olive oil and cook in the oven for 30 /40 minutes, until the top of the cake is dark gold.
Serve lukewarm or room temperature either as starter or as vegetarian main course with a salad dressed with vinaigrette.

Artichoke Omelette

Ingredients (serves 4)
. 4 artichokes
1. clove of garlic
1. bunch of nepitella (if you’re not reading this in Lucca use mint)
4. eggs
1. lemon
. olive oil
. salt and pepper

Method
Prepare the artichokes (one per person) by removing the coarsest outer leaves, and cut them into slices.
Lightly fry the garlic clove in the olive oil, then add the artichokes and a bunch of nepitella (the local mint like herb), cook until everything is tender, and add salt and pepper.
Beat the eggs (one per person) with salt and pur them into the artichokes, turn the pan and using a fork, let the eggs settle under the atichokes. Cook until creamy, spread the omelette with fresh lemon juice and serve immediately.
This simple but tasty recipe is very popular all around Tuscany, mainly in spring time, when the artichokes are specially tender.
Be aware of the fact that the special flavour of this vegetable can spoil the taste of wine, so do not offer it as appetizer if you’re having a wine-tasting.

Easter bread

Easter bread

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup warm milk (120 to 130 degrees F)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
7 eggs
1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
vegetable oil

Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add milk and butter; beat 2 minutes on medium. Add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes on high. Stir in fruit, nuts and aniseed; mix well.
Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. If desired, dye remaining eggs (leave them uncooked); lightly rub with oil. Punch dough down. Divide in half; roll each piece into a 24-in. rope.
Loosely twist ropes and tuck eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.