|
Antipasti
pecorino toscano and pecorino di pienza tuscan sheep cheese
This D.O.C. (denominazione origine controllata) cheese is deeply embedded in the culture of Tuscany and much of Italy. Pecorino is made exclusively from sheep's milk (Pecore is the Italian word for sheep). While several different regions in Italy make their own Pecorinos, the one from Tuscany is my favorite. It can be soft or semi-hard in texture and ranges from ivory white to pale yellow in color. The taste is salty, nutty, citrusy and curdy. It is a very earthy cheese, and quite distinctive. Pecorino may come with rinds of ash, or be wrapped in walnut or laurel leaves, and can be aged for 1-2 years. I love this cheese, and once even aged a wheel in my basement for a month. I love it with salami, I love it with honey, and I love it on its own
Miel di castagna—Chestnut honey
Chestnuts trees are found everywhere in the hills of Tuscany and were at one time a huge staple in the lives of the peasant farmers of Tuscany, making their way into every aspect of Tuscan cuisine—from candied chestnuts and chestnut flour to chestnut honey. Being a single-varietal honey (the bees only pollinate chestnut trees), this honey truly allows you to experience the beauty of the chestnut. It is both savory and sweet, slightly bitter, very vegetal and tangy in a way that only honeys can be. It has a gorgeous luminous golden brown and its texture is very silky on the tongue. The chestnut honey here at the deli comes from the Piedmont in the very north of Italy, but regardless of where it comes from, I believe this is essential to recreating a Tuscan experience. I love this honey drizzled on Pecorino Toscano, or served with Tuscan oil, for dipping.
Finocchiona (fennel salami) from Colombus Salame company
Fennel salami is undoubtedly one of the most beloved Tuscan pork products, and also a fundamental ingredient in "Antipasto alla Toscana." Its name refers to fennel seeds (finocchio), which are added to the pork, enriching it with a slightly spicy and sweet aroma. Zingerman's fennel salami uses free range pork from the renowned Niman Ranch, and is produced using traditional methods, long curing times, and natural pork casings by the Columbus Salame Company. It is moist and has a rich meaty flavor, with a serious fennel kick. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite Tuscan creations. It can be eaten for breakfast, for lunch, or as an antipasti for dinner.
Wild Tuscan Fennel Pollen-Finnocchio Selvatico
Fennel Pollen is prized especially in Italy where, amongst other things, a superb pesto is made from this exquisite seasoning. Italians also love to mix fennel pollen with extra virgin olive oil to serve with fresh warm breads. It is also used in the traditional salumi (cured meats) of Italy such as salamis and sausages. Wild fennel grows everywhere in Tuscany. Fennel pollen is collected when fennel flowers are in full bloom and pollination is at its peak. Carefully dried and screened with stems removed, this exceptional pollen is harvested in October before the fennel goes to seed. It combines well with other dried herbs and spices, and can also be added to fish soups, tomato sauces, or sprinkled on roasted vegetables. This is the first Tuscan food that I fell in love with, and the love affair began long before I ever went to Tuscany.
Antipasti suggestions
· Pecorino toscano drizzled with chestnut honey
· Finnochiona Gigante (fennel salami) from Columbus Salame Company
· Fennel pollen with Podere Forte olive oil
|
Primi
The following two oils remind me of everything a Tuscan oil should be; big, bold, grassy, green and bitter. They can certainly be put into the class of two coughers! Great with greens, farro salad, eggs and chanterelles.
Olio di olive—Simone Santini Tenuta di Valgiano olive oil
This classic Tuscan olive oil is produced in Lucca (which geographically is about 100 km North West of the farm that I lived on). The Valgiano estate has a diverse agricultural landscape, including hills, valleys, rivers, clay, alluvial plains and forests. The oil is beautifully balanced—it is silky and creamy in the mouth and has a floral essence. It smacks of raw artichokes, and oddly of sunshine. It has just a bit of pungency, and leaves a nice grassy flavor in your mouth. This is a really stunning oil.
Olio di Olive—Podere Forte
Podere Forte is made in the region of Siena. The producer, Pasquale Forte's, estate is part of the DOP 'Terre di Siena', and delivers an oil of typical Tuscan profile: consistent spice with raw artichoke and grassy notes. The first time that I tasted this oil, it welled up much nostalgia in me. It is so Tuscan! It reminded me of the first time that I had tasted the oil at Spannocchia.
Pofi brothers white wine vinegar
At Spannocchia, as on many other farms and estates, the excess wine was converted into the household vinegar. Even though it is not Tuscan but from the nearby region of Lazio, the Tiburtini vinegar at the Deli reminds me of the estate vinegar at Spannocchia. Made of Malvasia and Greco grapes, it is a stunning example of an everyday white wine vinegar. This vinegar is sharp, very floral, sweet and sour, and you only need a small amount to experience the flavor.
farro with tomatoes, parsley and olive oil
Farro was one of the first cereals ever domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, an ancient historic region between the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf. Over the centuries, farro was gradually abandoned in favor of durum wheat, which is easier to hull. Because it is not as highly domesticated as the common strains of wheat today, it retains its nutritional superiority. Its flavor is nutty and complex, with a hearty texture. This is a food of the fall. I love it with parsley, tomatoes, and a good Tuscan oil.
Here is a recipe from Giada di Laurentiis for a Farro salad with tomatoes and herbs
4 cups water
10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 large garlic clove, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the water and farro in a medium saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool. Add the tomatoes and parsley to the farro, and toss to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add to the salad and toss to coat.
I particularly like this salad with Podere Forte because the oil adds a nice spicy kick to the dish without overpowering the nuttiness of the farro. In late fall and winter when the tomatoes are petering out, I frequently use sundried tomatoes instead of fresh ones. At the Deli we have sundried Pacchino tomatoes from Sicily and also from Calabria.
|
Insalata
A Tuscan meal always ends with a salad. It is never complicated, just a few fresh seasonal greens to aid digestion, drizzled with oil and vinegar. Local seasonal greens are the makings of a truly Tuscan salad!
Here are some suggestions:
Spring and summer—spinach, arugula, and leaf lettuce.
Fall and early winter—raddicchio, endive, mustard greens, or fennel.
When fennel is in season, I love to replace a green salad with thinly sliced fennel, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt.
Dolce
Miele di Corbezzolo (Tree strawberry) honey drizzled on fresh ricotta
I always marvel at the beauty of the arbutus tree, not very large, but glistening with ruby encrusted fruit. The raw fruits of the arbutus tree are not often found in the local diet, they are more likely to be found as preserves. This is because of their bitterness when they are on the tree. When ripe, the bitterness has subsided a bit, and the fruit is mushy, sweet and warm. One is more likely to find a ripe fruit fallen to the ground rather than on the tree. Beyond the fruit and preserves, I have had raw Corbezzolo honey and what an experience it was!
Corbezzolo honey is made by bees feasting on the blossoms of the arbutus. The arbutus tree is a rare plant that is native to Sardinia and is found in some places in Ireland, and on the Italian Riviera and Tuscany. Finding a good bottle of this honey to bring to the Deli has taken us years. It was like looking for a needle in a honey-stack! Even in Italy, hardly anyone knows it.
There is no other honey like this: be prepared for a unique flavor. Surprisingly, it has only the slightest bit of sweetness. Instead it has a beautifully bitter, sparklingly spicy flavor, and an almost mentholated mouth feel. You've never tasted anything like it.
Serving suggestion:
Portion fresh ricotta in slightly chilled bowls. Gently warm Corbezzolo honey in a pan until
it is runny. Generously drizzle over ricotta. Serve with orange slices, almonds or thin orange cookies.
For a warm dessert, bake the ricotta in the oven at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned
on top and then drizzle the warmed honey over it.
|
Secondi Piatti
Tuscan Fennel Pollen Pork
1 boneless pork loin (about 3 pounds), butterflied
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, preferably Tuscan
4 teaspoons coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel pollen
additional olive oil for garnish
 Preheat the oven to 350°F. In small dish, mix the sea salt, pepper, and fennel pollen together.
Rub 3 tablespoons of the olive oil evenly over the entire surface of the loin, then coat with the fennel pollen mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottom skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, place the meat in the skillet and brown each side 'til golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place the pork in a roasting pan and set on a rack in the middle of the oven. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pork reads about 140°F, approximately 70 minutes.
The cooking time will vary depending on the density of the meat and the effectiveness of your oven so use the thermometer, not the clock as your guide. The meat should be slightly pink inside. Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before carving.
Brush with additional olive oil before serving.
Serve accompanied by a Contorni: Kale, sautéed in olive oil with thinly sliced onions and garlic, dressed with Pofi white wine vinegar.
This is Aubrey's first published food writing venture. She plans on working, learning, and teaching at Zingerman's until she has learned enough to have her own farm. She has dreams of making Michigan sheep's milk cheese, Michigan country ham, bacon, and salami—of a life always filled with good food. Come find her at the deli and see what you can learn!
|
