Fiasco di vino rosso da tavola Monteriggioni

Tuscan cuisine refers to the culinary traditions of the Tuscan region in Italy celebrated for its simplicity and focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients like olive oil, legumes, and meats. Rooted in , it emphasizes seasonal ingredients and straightforward flavors over complex sauces and spices. Tuscany is also home to some of the most famous wines in the world such as

Chianti Chianti is an Italian red wine produced in the Chianti (region), Chianti region of central Tuscan wine, Tuscany, principally from the Sangiovese grape. It was historically associated with a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a ''fia ...

Brunello di Montalcino Brunello di Montalcino is a red DOCG Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino, in the province of Siena, located about 80 km south of Florence, in the Tuscan wine region. Brunello, a diminutive of ''bruno'' ...

, and

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with a '' denominazione di origine controllata e garantita'' status produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano, Italy. The wine is made primarily from the Sangiovese grape varieta ...

. Bread plays a very important role in Tuscan cuisine. One specialty of Tuscan cuisine is a white, plain, unsalted bread. This bread accompanies all foods. This bread has its origin in the 16th century when salt was heavily taxed.

Overview

Simplicity is central to the Tuscan cuisine. Legumes, bread, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms, and fresh

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

are used. A good example of typical Tuscan food is , a notable soup whose name literally means 'reboiled'. Like most Tuscan cuisine, the soup has peasant origins. was originally made by reheating (i.e. reboiling) the leftover

minestrone Minestrone (, ) or ''minestrone di verdure'' is a thick soup of Italian origin based on vegetables. It typically includes onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, often legumes, such as beans, chickpeas or fava beans, and sometimes ...

or vegetable soup from the previous day. There are many variations, but the main ingredients always include leftover bread, cannellini beans, and inexpensive vegetables such as carrot, cabbage, beans,

silverbeet Chard (; ''Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'', Cicla Group and Flavescens Group) is a green leafy vegetable. In the cultivars of the Flavescens Group, or Swiss chard, the leaf stalks are large and often prepared separately from the leaf bl ...

cavolo nero Lacinato kale, also known as Tuscan kale, Italian kale, dinosaur kale, kale, flat back kale, palm tree kale, black Tuscan palm, or, in Italian and often in English, , is a variety of kale from the Acephala group of cultivars ''Brassica oleracea ...

(Tuscan kale), onion, and olive oil. A regional Tuscan pasta known as resembles thick, grainy-surfaced spaghetti, and is often rolled by hand. White

truffle A truffle is the Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, one of the species of the genus ''Tuber (fungus), Tuber''. More than one hundred other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including ''Geopora'', ''P ...

s from

San Miniato San Miniato is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Pisa, in the region of Tuscany, Italy. San Miniato sits at a historically strategic location atop three small hills where it dominates the lower Arno valley, between the valleys of the E ...

appear in October and November. High-quality beef, used for the traditional

Florentine steak ''Bistecca alla fiorentina'' () is an Italian steak dish made of young steer (''vitellone'') or heifer (''scottona'') that is one of the most famous dishes in Tuscan cuisine. It is loin steak on the bone cooked on a grill until rare (50 ...

, come from the

Chianina The Chianina () is an Italian breed of large white cattle. It was formerly principally a draught breed; it is now raised mainly for beef. It is the largest and one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world. The '' bistecca alla fiorentina'' is ...

cattle breed of the

Chiana Valley The Val di Chiana, Valdichiana, or Chiana Valley, formerly Clanis Valley, is a tectonic valley of central Italy, whose valley floor consists of important alluvial residues filled up since the 11th century, lying on the territories of the provinc ...

and the

Maremmana The Maremmana is a breed of cattle reared in the Maremma, a former marshland region in southern Tuscany and northern Lazio in central Italy. It is raised principally in the provinces of Grosseto, Rome and Viterbo.Maremma The Maremma (, ; from Latin , "maritime and) is a geographical region located between Lazio and Tuscany, Central Italy. The biggest city is Grosseto. The region, with a long history, is traditionally populated by the '' butteri'', mounted c ...

. Pork is also produced. The region is well-known also for its rich game, especially wild boar,

hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves ...

fallow deer Fallow deer is the common name for species of deer in the genus ''Dama'' of subfamily Cervinae. There are two living species, the European fallow deer (''Dama dama''), native to Europe and Anatolia, and the Persian fallow deer (''Dama mesopotamic ...

, roe deer, and

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera's native range is restricted to Eura ...

that often are used to prepare

pappardelle Pappardelle (; : pappardella; from the verb , meaning 'to gobble up') are large, very broad, flat pasta, similar to wide fettuccine, originating from the Tuscany region of Italy. The fresh types are two to three centimetres (–1 inches) w ...

dishes. , or "Drunken Pork", is another regional preparation in which pork is braised in Chianti wine and often paired with Tuscan kale. is a of cured fatback, served as thin slices or as a paste; a famous variety is . Regional desserts include (oblong-shaped almond biscuits), (a chestnut flour cake), (a sweet bread containing raisins and rosemary), (prepared with honey, fruits, and nuts), (biscuits made using an almond base with sugar, honey, and egg white), (

galette Galette (from the Norman language, Norman word ''gale'', meaning 'flat cake') is a term used in French cuisine to designate various types of flat round or freeform crusty cakes, or, in the case of a Breton galette ( ; ), a pancake made with buck ...

s made with chestnut flour) and (pastry made with almonds, candied fruits, coriander, flour, and honey). Well-known regional wines include

Carmignano Carmignano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Prato, part of the Italian region Tuscany. It is located about west of Florence and about southwest of Prato. It is the centre of the wine region of the same name. It has 14,577 ...

, Morellino di Scansano, Parrina,

Sassicaia Tenuta San Guido is an Italian wine producer in the DOC Bolgheri in Toscana, known as a producer of "Super Tuscan" wine. It produces Sassicaia, a Bordeaux-style red wine. The estate also produces a second wine, Guidalberto, and a third wine ...

, and

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a white Italian wine, made from the Vernaccia grape, produced in and around the Italian hill town of San Gimignano, in Tuscany. It was the first Italian wine to be awarded ''denominazione di origine controllata'' ( ...

History

Tuscan cuisine is a blend of

Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *Etruscan civilization (1st millennium BC) and related things: **Etruscan language ** Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan coins **Etruscan history **Etruscan myt ...

and Roman cooking traditions. The Etruscans, who inhabited the region before the rise of Rome, were skilled in viticulture, cultivating grapes and producing their own wines. They also foraged for truffles, an ingredient that became a prized element in their cooking. The foundations of Tuscan cuisine began to take shape during the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

, particularly under the influence of the

Medici family The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first half of the 15th ...

. The Medici not only elevated the quality and sophistication of Tuscan food but also impacted French cuisine through

Catherine de' Medici Catherine de' Medici (, ; , ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian Republic of Florence, Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to Henry II of France, King Henry II. Sh ...

, who brought Tuscan culinary techniques and ingredients to France when she married King Henry II. In Tuscany's countryside, the tradition of "riuso" developed, driven by the philosophy of "not throwing anything away." This approach led to a resourceful use of ingredients, inspiring iconic dishes like ''ribollita'' and ''panzanella'', which transform simple, leftover ingredients into hearty meals.

Breads

* Pane di patate della Garfagnana * Pane sciocco * Pane Toscano * Pane di Segale della Lunigiana * Schiacciata

Dishes

Acquacotta ''Acquacotta'' (; ) is a hot broth-based bread soup in Italian cuisine that was originally a peasant food. Its preparation and consumption dates back to ancient history, and it originated in the coastal area known as the Maremma, in southern ...

(its preparation varies from place to place) * Acquapazza * Agnellotti * Anguilla con vino * Armelette - Lasagne Bastarde * Arselle alla viareggina * Arselle in fricassea * Bavette al ragno * Bavette alla fornaia o pesto toscano * Bavette alle acciughe * Bavette al pesce povero * Bavette alle triglie * Bomba di riso * Bordatino alla Livornese * Brodo del parto * Brodo di carne alla toscana * Brodo di fagiano * Brodolese o Brodolata * Brodo di pesce *

Bistecca alla fiorentina ''Bistecca alla fiorentina'' () is an Italian steak dish made of young steer (''vitellone'') or heifer (''scottona'') that is one of the most famous dishes in Tuscan cuisine. It is loin steak on the bone cooked on a grill until rare (50 ...

Cacciucco ''Cacciucco'' () is an Italian fish stew native to the western coastal towns of Tuscany.Danny Meyer, ''The Union Square Cafe Cookbook: 160 Favorite Recipes from New York's Acclaimed Restaurant'' (HarperCollins 2005). It is especially associated ...

, alla livornese e alla viareggina * Caldaro dell'Argentario * Carcerato * Cecina * Cèe in padella * Cicale di mare alla viareggina * Coniglio con olive * Covaccino * Cozze ripiene alla viareggina * Crognoli fritti * Crostini neri * Cinque e cinque (schiaccina con la cecina) * Farinata di cavolo nero known as Farinata con le leghe in Pistoia and Bordatino on the coast. * Fegatelli * Focaccetta * Frittata con gli zoccoli * Gnudi * Gurguglione * Insalata di trippa * Lampredotto * Manafregoli * Matuffi alla viareggina * Mazzancolle e fagioli * Minestra di farro * Panigaccio *

Panzanella ''Panzanella'' () or ''panmolle'' () is a Tuscan and Umbrian chopped salad of soaked stale bread, onions and tomatoes that is popular in the summer. It often includes cucumbers, sometimes basil and is dressed with olive oil and vinegar. It is ...

* Panzanella fritta, often served as an entré with prosciutto * Pappa al pomodoro * Pasta ai sassi * Pasta con i cannolicchi * Pasta alla carbonara di mare alla viareggina * Pasta alla trabaccolara * Pasta co' nicchi or Spaghetti alle arselle (literally Spaghetti with clams) * Pasta e fagioli * Peposo alla viareggina * Peposo dell'Impruneta * Picchiante * Polenta e capra * Pancotto alla viareggina * Polenta con funghi *

Ribollita ''Ribollita'' () is a Tuscan bread soup, panade, porridge, or potage made with bread and vegetables, often from leftovers. There are many variations, but the usual ingredients include leftover bread, cannellini beans, lacinato kale, cabbage a ...

* Risotto alla tinca * Risotto alla viareggina * Risotto seppie e bieta * Rosticciana * Schiacciata all'olio * Sedani ripieni alla pratese * Sfratti * Sgabeo * Spaghetti alla viareggina * Spungata * Stocco alla Tono * Taiàrin e còi (tagliarini e cavoli) *

Testaroli ''Testaroli'', sometimes referred to as ''testarolo'', is a type of thin spongy pasta or bread in Italian cuisine that is prepared in circular sheets using water, flour, and salt, which is then sliced into diamond or rectangular shapes. A commo ...

(with many variations from place to place) * Tordelli (the filling varies from place to place) * Torta d'erbi * Tortelli di patate * Tortellini alla boscaiola * Totani ripieni alla viareggina * Triglie alla viareggia * Trippa alla fiorentina * Trippa di mare * Zuppa alla frantoiana * Zuppa di cavolo nero * Zuppa di ceci * Zuppa di pane

Cured meats

Biroldo ''Biroldo'' is a very dark, brownish-red, soft-textured Tuscan blood sausage about 4 inches (10 cm) wide, with lighter-coloured chunks of meat and fat in it. It was traditionally made from parts of the pig, offal such as the heart, lungs, ...

Capocollo ''Capocollo'' () (in Italian). or ''coppa'' () (in Italian). is an Italian and French pork '' salume'' made from the dry-cured muscle running from the neck to the fourth or fifth rib of the pork shoulder or neck. It is a whole-muscle ''salum ...

* Mondiola *

Pancetta Pancetta () is a Salting (food)#Meat, salt-cured pork belly meat product in a category known as ''Salumi, salume''. In Italy, it is often used to add depth to soups and pasta. (in Italian). Uses For cooking, pancetta is often cut into cubes ( ...

* Prosciutto Toscano * Tizzone

Desserts

* Ballonciori * Befanini or Befanotti * Bolli livornesi * Bomboloni (can be with or without filling) *

Castagnaccio ''Castagnaccio'' is an Italian chestnut flour cake. It is a typically autumnal dessert, made by a dough of chestnut, water, olive oil, pine nuts, and raisins, and baked. Local variations may include other ingredients, such as rosemary, orange r ...

* Cenci or Cencetti * Frittelle di riso * Mondine * Necci *

Panforte ''Panforte'' is a chewy Italian dessert containing fruit and nuts. It is similar to a Florentine but is much thicker and is a little like a lebkuchen. Known throughout Italy, it is an Italian Christmas tradition associated especially with the ...

* Pan di ramerino * Pasimata * Pupporina * Scarpaccia alla viareggina * Torta della nonna * Torta di riso or Torta di riso al cioccolato; also known as torta coi pizzi or coi becchi * Torta di pepe

Wines

References

Bibliography

External links

{{cuisines Tuscany Cuisine of Tuscany Italian cuisine