If you're travelling around Tuscany in search of a good sandwich, you will find plenty of options. In the words of Savour magazine author Craig Cavallo "the centuries-old culture and traditions of cheese- and meat-making here produce some of the finest foodstuffs in the world, and they happen to be quintessential sandwich ingredients". Below you'll find five ideas for your quick lunch or snack in Tuscany:
This filling meat sandwich is made with lampredotto, which is part of the cow’s stomach cooked in a broth containing herbs and tomatoes. Lampredotto is usually served in a sandwich with either a green sauce or a spicy sauce. Florence is famous for its Lampredotto stalls which can be found in many piazzas.
Cinque e cinque is a Focaccia filled with Farinata or Cecina (chickpea cake). It is especially popular in the Tuscan riviera. In Livorno it is called ‘cinque e cinque’, a throwback to when both the chickpea flatbread and the focaccia cost only five lire each. You can find it in take-out pizzerias.
One flavour balanced combination is Tuscan ham (prosciutto) with fresh pecorino. Ideally this sandwich should be made with two slices of unsalted Tuscan bread which is the best combination with the tasty ham.
"Porchetta" is a whole pig, de-boned and stuffed with seasoning of salt, pepper, herbs, and roasted in an oven. Although there are people in Ariccia, in Latium, that claim authorship of the original recipe, around Tuscany you can find many stalls, bars and restaurants that offer these tasty porchetta sandwiches.
In Tuscany you can find many types of cold cuts, from different kind of hams to multiple varieties of salami. What about two slices of Tuscan bread or a schiacciata filled with salame, Finocchiona, mortadella or Colonnata lard. You can ask for all these sandwiches in many stalls, foodstores (alimentari) and delicatessen (gastronomie) including supermarkets. Using your imagination you can add pickles, truffle sauces,vegetables, and complement the sandwich with a glass of Chianti. Try them and tell us what you think: Which is your favorite panino?
