The arrival of the first cold autumn weather brings with it a hint of melancholy: the days are getting shorter and the urge to stay under the covers increases out of all proportion! To brighten the atmosphere and flood the house with delicious scents, there is nothing better than getting to the stove using all the treasures of the earth that this season gives us. Here are three simple and tasty recipes from the Tuscan tradition!
The world's best-known Tuscan soup is surely one of the best ways to enjoy seasonal vegetables: the ribollita, which used to be cooked with leftovers from the days before, is now a versatile dish that can also be declined into a gourmet version. This specialty is prepared with black cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, cannellini beans and stale bread. Once the vegetable broth has been prepared and the bread added, the soup must be reheated: from this step comes the name "ribollita", that in Italian means boiled twice. The process is long because it takes a whole night to soak the dried beans and the first cooking of the soup takes a couple of hours. It is finally served with extra virgin olive oil and fresh onion on the side.
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Pappardelle with mushrooms
Porcini mushrooms - Credit: Claudia Ciabattini
A great classic of Tuscan autumn cuisine: pappardelle with mushrooms can be prepared in no time and, if the ingredients are of excellent quality, the result is great! A quick and easy first course with only two ingredients, porcini mushrooms and egg pasta. The mushrooms must be freshly picked and the pasta fresh, preferably homemade. The mushrooms should be well cleaned, but be careful not to handle them too much or get them wet with water: it’s better to use a damp cloth to remove excess soil and a small kitchen brush. Once cleaned and cut, all that remains is to sauté them with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and mint. For an excellent result, keep aside some of the pasta cooking water that will be used to form a mouth-watering cream when sautéing!
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The Castagnaccio
The Castagnaccio - Credit: Arturo Dori
Thecastagnaccio (chestnut pie) is a rustic dessert that has very ancient origins and was already well known in Tuscany in the 1500s where it was prepared by farmers as a peasant dish. The dough is simple and is made with chestnut flour, water, raisins and pine nuts. The result is a compact, tasty dessert, strong in both taste and appearance: a thin, unleavened cake that should be served warm. The taste of chestnut and rosemary enriched by the enveloping flavor of pine nuts makes the castagnaccio a dessert suitable for many variations: for a real taste explosion, try the combination with ricotta or with cold cuts and aged cheeses.
