Porchetta.. The Queen of StreetFood

 

Porchetta is a savory, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition. The body of the pig is gutted, deboned, arranged carefully with layers of stuffing, meat, fat, and skin, then rolled, spitted, and roasted, traditionally over wood. Porchetta is usually heavily salted in addition to being stuffed with garlic, rosemary, fennel, or other herbs, often wild.Across Italy porchetta is usually sold by pitchmen with their typically white-painted vans, especially during public displays or holidays, and it can be served in a panino. It is also eaten as a meat dish in many households or as part of a picnic. (WP)

I was a guest star in a cooking show "Aspettando il Tg"

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

Video of my restaurant by Incurablecontrarian

 Follow this link  and look the nice video. Thank you "Incurablecontrarian"

My girlfriend Fabiana and her fish lunch

Did you have fish for lunch?...my girlfriend Fabiana at work during preparation the best one sunday lunch!

The best bread in Tuscany

I've made this video in the "Fratelli Paganelli's" holdest wood-fired oven and today they are still using

the same techniques of their ancestors,they are carrying on this bakery for now three generations. Their oven is next to our restaurants and every morning you can feel the aroma of the fresh-cooked bread.
I believe that a good bread is the very first step to experience a great dinner.
Enjoy the video , i'm sorry to not be able to let you smell the fantastic aroma

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

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

Rapini

This is the Tuscan name of cime di rapa, broccoli di rapa, or broccoletti, better-known in this country as broccoli raab (also spelled broccoli rabe)...

TuscanCook's Original Fiorentina Steak 2 Kilos of Pleasure