Tag: Tuscan recipes

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.

Tuscan lasagna

Tuscan lasagna

Serves 4
Pasta Ingredients & Directions
400 Gr. Flour
4 Eggs
1 TBS. Olive Oil

Pouring the flour on your board make a well in the center.  Add remaining ingredients to the well and slowly mix until incorporated.  Knead until the dough is smooth.  Keep floured well to avoid the dough getting sticky.  Roll the dough through the pasta machine several times.  Cut the pasta it into sheets about 20 cm long and keep on towel until ready to cook.

Meat Sauce
500 gr. of ground beef
1/2 cup (120 mL) of chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Cook  ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in tomato sauce, and water. Season with  basil, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Besciamella Sauce & Directions
½ Liter Milk
50 Gr. Butter
50 Gr. Flour
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Melt butter and add flour mixing well.  Add the milk slowly and stir till thick.  Season to taste.

Grease a rectangular baking dish.  Boil water to cook the lasagna until el dente, drain, and lay   on a damp cloth and salt.  Cover the bottom of the pan.  Then add a layer of meat sauce, and then a layer of Basciamella.  Continue this in a least 3 layers finishing with the meat sauce and basciamella.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Tuscan tours

Italian vegetables

Tuscan tour, Pistoia city.

Pistoia, the second largest city in Tuscany, is a town not to be missed. Standing between Monte Albano and the Appennines, the town is rich in Roman history. There is a strong medieval feel to the town and its reputation for murderous citizens (dating from the Guelphs) has persisted since the 13th century!
The word “pistol” is derived from the dagger originally used by Pistoiese and the ironwork tradition continues to this day.
The city is also famous for the production of embroideries and confectionary.
Here in the center of town, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, you will find the famous Pistoia fresh produce market. It is a beautiful site to behold. Trying to decide what to buy is a difficult decision  as there are so many choices.
Whatever your decision, you will be getting the best fresh food available.
Buon appetito!

Leslie Halloran
Please check out my website at: www.lihdesigns.net

Tuscan plate

Trippa alla fiorentina

Have you ever tasted the “trippa alla fiorentina”? It’s a typical strong tuscan plate  flawor.

Ingredients:
Florentine trippa (already boiled )
oil
onion
carrot
celery
ripe tomatoes chopped
salt and pepper
parmesan
butter

Preparation:
You can buy alredy boiled trippa:
wash well, cut into strips and put it to drain. In a pan with oil,  fry the chopped onion, carrot and celery, add the trippa, ripe tomatoes chopped, salt and pepper, and cook with the lid for  half an hour, possibly by wetting with water if see that it dries too much. At the end sprinkle the trippa with parmesan and butter, mix again, wait a few minutes before serving.