If you have been to Tuscany you have already had the pleasure of tasting some schiacciata. And if you travelled with small children they would have been handed a slice of it as soon as you walked in a bakery!
During such a cold winter it’s all but natural to turn to earthy, warm comfort food. This typical rustic Farinata (or porridge) is made with two key winter ingredients- polenta and black kale. It’s pure peasant food- thicker than a soup, it’s a full meal on its own.
Cecina is the Tuscan version of the chickpea flatbread, an easy and ancient recipe that goes back to the Etruscans, who were big consumers of chickpeas.
This is an all time favourite kids’ afternoon snack, or merenda (I literally grew up on this)- so quick and comforting, it doesn’t get easier than this.
With the warm weather it comes the time for picnics and outdoor dining. This easy to make- and easy to carry- mini flans can be prepared with any summer vegetable but my favorite combination for this time of the year is zucchini and mint.
Its name in the Lombard dialect means nutmeg: since ancient time this exotic ingredient, much appreciated in Lombardy, was used to flavour dishes prepared with the few ingredients that could be found in winter in farm houses .
In Tuscany, especially at dinner time, you will almost always find on the table a classic favourite: pinzimonio. Eating vegetable crudite’ doesn’t get easier than this
