Stewed Chicken with "Barbe di Prete"

For the Chicken :

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• A whole chicken, cut up into pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic
• An 8-inch (20 cm) sprig of rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• A cup of dry red wine
• 2/4 pound (300 g) tomatoes
• Black olives or in alternative you can add the sage with the rosemary.
  

Preparation:

To serve 4 you'll want an entire chicken, cut up into pieces. Wash well and pat it dry. Split two cloves of garlic and sauté them in 1/4 cup of olive oil with a spring of fresh rosemary; once the garlic has begun to brown add the meat; season to taste with salt and pepper, cover, and brown the meat over a medium flame, turning the pieces several times. Sprinkle a cup of dry red wine into the pot, and when it has evaporated somewhat, add about 3/4 pound of blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes (you can use canned if you prefer, or tomato sauce) and 1/2 pound (200 g) canned black olives. Simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes. Before serving the chicken,don't forget to discard the garlic

For "Barbe di Prete" :

In a pan with some olive oil and a mirepoix of carrot,celery and onion,add the cleaned barbe cutted in pieces and let them brown at medium flame for about 10 minutes,then add a couple spoons of tomato sauce,stir for a while then add enough water to fill the pan and cover,leaving it at low flame until all the broth has evaporated and the vegetables are tender.

Add them to the chicken and serve.

Buccellato di Lucca

Buccellato is to Lucca what Panforte is to Siena and Panettone is to the Veneto region—a local tradition, especially for the holidays.
The first and most famous manufacturer of the "Buccellato Taddeucci" was founded way back in 1881 by Jacopo Taddeucci, who confectioned a sweet that was then to enter into the rich gastronomic culture of the province of Lucca. Even today, when talking about "buccellato" this is implicitly identified with the name Taddeucci. The Taddeucci family has since kept up this long and great tradition, continuing in the footsteps of the founder, and their commitment has brought the name of the buccellato to be known around the world.
Fashion the recipe into three smaller loaves for giving. Freezing the Buccellato works well for up to three months.
Makes 1 large loaf, serving 8 to 10
Anise and currants flavor this legendary bread of Lucca. Shaped in the form of a ring, this golden bread isn't quite like Italy's other yeasted sweet breads. Instead of being rich and cake-like, Buccellato is lightly sweetened and spiced—an appealing chewy white bread with a dense, lean crumb. I like Buccellato's simplicity. It tastes like homemade farmhouse bread spiffed up for company with currants and sugar. It's superb with any sweet wine.
In Lucca, no celebration happens without Buccellato and glasses of the sweet Vin Santo. When family comes from far away, Buccellato is served. At a christening for a new baby, Buccellato is served. Youngsters plead with parents, "Aunt Amelia is here (from across town), can't we have Buccellato?" But it's never just any Buccellato.
Serve Buccellato sliced thin with glasses of Vin Santo. Toast leftovers for breakfast, or an after-dinner treat with fruit.

Cook to Cook:
A heavy-duty electric mixer is handy here, as the dough is a dense one. Its beating bruises the currants, slightly darkening the dough but spreading their flavor through the bread. Certainly a wooden spoon will accomplish the same thing, but it takes much more elbow grease. Use an organic bread or high-protein flour if at all possible. Anticipate about 7-1/2 hours to make the bread. If more convenient, the first rise of 4 hours can be stretched to overnight in a cool place.

* 2-1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
* 2/3 cup warm water (90 F)
* About 5 cups (25 ounces unbleached white bread flour (preferably organic)
* 1-1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
* 1 tablespoon anise seeds, bruised with the side of a knife
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) sugar
* 1 cup (about 1/4 pound) currants, soaked in hot water 15 minutes and drained

Glaze:

* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 tablespoon water
* 1 large egg

1. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer or another large bowl, dissolve the yeast in half the water, with a pinch of the flour. Let proof 10 minutes, or until bubbly. With the paddle attachment at low speed, or by hand, beat in the rest of the water, the milk, anise seeds, salt, sugar, and currants. Slowly beat in 4 cups of the flour until a soft dough has formed.

2. Replace the paddle with the dough hook and knead at medium-low speed 15 minutes, adding an additional cup of flour a tablespoon at a time, for a soft, sticky dough. Remove the dough to a floured work surface. Knead by hand 2 minutes to form a soft, very elastic dough that is barely sticky. Or, if working by hand, stir in flour until the dough is too heavy to handle. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is soft, extremely elastic, and barely sticky. Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 4 hours, or until almost tripled in bulk.

3. Oil a large cookie sheet or pizza pan. Knead down the dough. It will be sticky. Shape the dough into a 24-inch-long log. Bring the ends together, forming a ring, pinch ends to seal, and set it on the pan. Place an oiled upside-down custard cup or ramekin (about 3 inches in diameter) in the center to maintain the shape of the ring as the dough rises. Cover and let rise at room temperature 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until barely doubled.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, beat together the glaze ingredients. Brush generously over the dough. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until the bread is a deep mahogany brown and sounds hollow when its bottom is thumped. Cool on a rack. Buccellato keeps several days at room temperature, if well wrapped.

Thanks to The Baker's Chronicle

Budino di Farro (Spelt Pudding)

Ingredients for 6 persons:

250 grams of spelt,
1 hectogram of raisin,
3 eggs,
1 Litre and half of milk,
15 grams of butter,
80 grams of sugar,
20 grams of grated bread,
60 ml liquor (50% Rhum - 50 % Sassolino)


Preparation

Cook the spelt in the milk. When is half cooked, add raisin previously soaked in the water with the sugar and butter
When the spelt is cooked (about 25 min.) cool all.
Add eggs and wine "Vinsanto" and mix with care and until forming a creamy compound
Meanwhile put butter and grated bread into the pudding moulds or pastry pan. Bake for 40 minutes to 150 at least
Let it going cool and serve

Nonna Ida's Style Rovelline Lucchesi

Rovelline is a traditional dish of the old farmers food.

This version is a little different from the original version as this one has Mirepoix (celery,carrot and onions) and it's missing garlic instead.

Ingredients for 4 people :

4 not too thick slices of Veal

150g  Carrot

200g Onion

150g Celery

3 Tablespoon of Chopped Tomato
A handfull of Capers
1 Egg

00 Flour
Breadcrumbs
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preparation :

First of all take the slices of veal and add some salt  then cover them with flour and deep them into the egg and finally coat in the breadcrums.

Fry them into the olive oil (or if you preferer in the Clarified Butter - but in tuscany we use olive oil !)

Once they are ready put them aside for now and in a frying pan put the mirepoix with some olive oil,when it's golden add the chopped tomato and capers.

Now put the veal in the sauce you prepared adding a glass of water and let it steam.

Serve with the sauce on top and...Buon Appetito !

Stringhe in Umido (Stewed String Beans)

Stringhe are a Tuscan heirloom string bean; the word Stringhe means strings and the reason for the name is obvious -- when they're harvested fagioli stringhe are 40-50 cm long, or about 18 inches.
Stringhe are also called S.Anna beans, fagioli serpente "snake" beans. Again, references to their length. Production of stringa is limited to the Lucca,Valdarno (between Arezzo), Florence, and Prato, and you'll find them in local vegetable markets (production is limited enough that they're more difficult to find in supermarkets) throughout the summer.

Ingredients:

gr 600 string beans (washed, topped and tailed)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
A slice of tuscan prosciutto
2 large ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
Basil
salt and pepper


Direction:

In a saucepan put some minced onion and garlic,tuscan prosciutto, chopped tomatoes, Stringhe beans (string beans), basil, olive oil, salt and a little water. Cook slowly until everything is well cooked and juicy.

Filled Zucchini Flowers "Fiori di Zucca Ripieni"

 Ingredients for 4 people:

    * 300 grams of minced meat
    * 300 g tomatoes
    * 16 zucchini flowers
    * 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
    * 1 egg
    * 1 slice of bread
    * 1 clove garlic
    * 20 g parsley
    * 4 tablespoons olive oil
    * Salt and pepper
 
Place the slice of bread to soak in water, then squeeze and crumble. Peel the garlic, peeled and washed parsley together and chop finely. Put in a bowl, bread, chopped garlic and parsley, Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, minced meat and mix them. Gently wash the zucchini flowers, and green wires Privatel pistil without tearing it, fill with the mixture you have prepared, taking care not to break them.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the zucchini flowers and fry over low heat, leaving brown, washed and sieved tomatoes and add them to flowers with a pinch of salt.
Cook in the oven  for 15 minutes at 180°, then serve

Tordelli Lucchesi

The place you go....the tordelli you find ! Yes,it's just like that,from Garfagnana and up to the "hills" of Versilia every home has its own recipe. There are even some people who use Mortadella,but i think that there is no reason to go in Emilia Romagna looking for taste that are not part of our own place.In the past the Tordelli were prepared on monday (at least in my grandmother Ida's home) but you may be asking yourself...why on monday ?  it's simple...the leftovers of the roast meat of the holy sunday were being chopped,then you would add some pecorino from garfagnana,some bread crumbs soaked in milk,eggs and a pinch of pepolino (thyme).

For the pastry:

500g Flour
5 Eggs


For the stuffing :

350g of Beef
350g of Pork
150g of Veal
Extra virgin olive oil
3 Eggs
Salt,pepper,nutmeg
1 Glass of white wine
a pinch of pepolino (thyme)
2 cloves of chopped garlic
a pinch of parsley
100gr of grated parmesan cheese
Breadcrumbs soaked in milk and then squeezed.

Direction:

Let the meat brown in the olive oil and then add salt and pepper. Add the wine and let steam.
Finely chop the meat and put them inside a bowl,beat the eggs and add them to the other ingredients.
Knead some dough and prepare the Tordelli  by putting on each one some stuffing and then seal it with the edge of the pasty using your fingers. Cut the Tordelli with a glass and close them all around with a fork (today we often use the proper tool for it called "rotella").
Heat a large pot full of salted water,let it boil and then cook the tordelli.
When they are ready drain them and add the meat sauce prepared separately (You can find the recipe here )

Gobbi in Umido "Stewed Cardoon with Sausage"

• Cardoons (see below for amounts)
• Garlic
• Rosemary
• Olive oil
• Red Hot Pepper
• Sausages
• Chopped Tomato

Wash the cardoons, strip away the fibers, and chop them into 2-inch lengths. Boil them until close to fork tender in lightly salted water (add in wather one table spoon of flour). In the meantime, mince two cloves of garlic and sausages. When the cardoons are done, drain them, and then finish cooking them in a skillet with the 1/4 cup olive oil,garlic, sausages,rosemary, and salt and red hot pepper to taste.

Today i'm the butcher: It's time for kid!

Besides being a "Tuscan Cook" i'm also a butcher. I've learned it from my father Adriano as it was his a previous job before starting to be a Wine and Olive oil producer

Garmugia Lucchese (Soup)

Garmugia is a traditional recipe that dates back to the 16th century and can be pinpointed to Lucca and its province. Its origins are poor although the fact that some ground veal is present gives the recipe a certain richness. Peasants had loads of vegetables and very little meat, this is why they would add some dried pancetta (belly bacon – non smoked) and a little ground meat. If you’re vegetarian and want to keep it meatless it’s just as good. 

Ingredients:

1 Brunch Spring Onions
50 grams of  Ground Bacon
150 grams Ground Beef
4 Table Spoon of Broad Beans
4 Table Spoon of Fresh Peas
4 Table Spoon of Asparagus Tips
4 Artichokes
1-1/2 Litre 1 of beef stock
Oil for frying

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the chopped onions, ground bacon and beef. Cook for a  5 minutes and add the prepared chopped vegetables.
Mix well and cook for about 15 minutes stirring well. Add the stock and bring to the boil, allowing the
mix to simmeter for a few mins or until the vegetables are tender. Serve hot with toasted bread

Fagioli Cannellini & Sausage

60ml extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 fresh sage leaves
500g fresh cannellini beans

3 Tuscan Sausages
300g chopped tomato

1 Chili Peppers

Salt and Pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large frypan, add garlic and the chopped sausages (you need to remove the skin then chop them) . Let it fry for about 3 minutes. Add  Tomato, cook about 5 minutes and then add cannellini beans and sage. Cover with 2 glass of water, season with salt,pepper and cook until all the water steams.

Torta Cò Becchi alle Erbe "My mom's recipe"

The Torta Cò Becchi alle Erbe is a typical of Lucca. It is a cake made of chard, cheese,pinoli,bread and currants. In Lucca this cake is prepared throughout the year but especially for the feast of Santa Croce (Holy Cross,the patron of Lucca) or during the Easter.

The ingredients for the pastry are:
500 gr. of flour, 5 eggs (4 yolks and 1 white), 100 gr. of butter, a drop of milk, a pinch of salt, 2 small glasses of liqueur, 250 gr. of sugar.


The ingredients for the filling are:
a bunch of  chard cooked in butter, a pinch of parsley, 200 gr. of bread soaked in milk, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, liqueur, parmesan and pecorino cheese, 3 eggs, a bit of sugar, pinenuts and raisins.

Prepare the pastry by making a "fountain" with the flour, working it well with the other ingredients.
After working the dough, leave it to rest. After it has been well rested, roll it out and drape it over a well-buttered baking tin, being sure a good amount hangs over the edges of the tin.
Mix all the ingredients to prepare the filling that we will lay down on the baking tin. With the dough that hangs over the edges, fold them towards the center, giving them the shape of cones - the famous "becchi".
Cook at moderate heat for approximately 40 minutes