Tuscan recipes

Tuscany olive oil tasting tour

Olive oil cultivation has distinguished the province of Lucca since ancient times a deep rooted tradition of olive growing which shows how precious and typicl this crop is, today more than ever, constantly looking to safeguard an irreplaceable heritage.
The landscape has alwys seemed to be richin olive trees, which were once cultivated on hillocks and steep mountain terraces. In the Lucca area olive cultivation developed in the 14th and 15th centuries with production increasing at thet time.

Statues were drawn up in the various communities with precise rules of behaviour which influenced the quality of local production, even identifying the varieties most commonly grown. Varieties were assed in the province of Lucca which are still cultivated today. With time the olive oil became, thanks to the ability and tenacity of those who had always grown it, an opportunity for commercial development. In the Lucca area the olive oil has always represented not just a factor for economic growth but also a way of life.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the product which more than any other characterises the province of Lucca and its gastronomic tradition, both in the interland and the coastal area.
The olive oil of Lucca is not only one of the most famous in Tuscany, and as such was the first in the 19th century to cross the borders of Italy and Europe, but also has outstanding characteristics which make it difficult to confuse with oil produced in other areas of the region.

Its characteristics have made it part of the staple diet, not only for its olfactory properties but also dietary ones, for a healty and correct diet. This oil comes from the typical Tuscan cultivars Frantoio, Leccino and to a lesser extent, Pendolino and Maurino.
However, the peculiarities of the terrain, the altitude and the position make the oil unique for its fruity flavour, its golden yellow colour with hints of green, and for its overall aroma, such that today many professional taster from the various oil producing areas of Italy take back a sample of extra virgin olive oil from lucca to use as a yardstick for purchasing olive oil for the companies that they work for.
It is not by chance that the extra virgin olive oil from the hills of Lucca has earned the right to mention additional geographical distinction, in terms of IGP, obtained from DOP Tuscan oil.
This makes it very easy to recognise a bottle of extra virgin olive oil from Lucca.

For very special taste olive oil please contact www.aziendaagricolamatteucci.com

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.