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Tuscany

Tuscany is a region in central Italy with an area of about 23,000 sq km (8,900 sq mi) and a population of about 3.8 million. The regional capital is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

Featured Dishes from Tuscany

Bombolone

Bombolone

Doughnuts filled with vanilla pastry cream, Nutella, fruit jam, serve with coffee, cappuccino

Necci

Necci

Chestnut flour crepes, filled or topped with ricotta, chocolate, honey

Torta mantovana

Torta mantovana

Cake with lemon zest, almonds and pine nuts

Bombolone

Bombolone

Doughnuts filled with vanilla pastry cream, Nutella, fruit jam, serve with coffee, cappuccino

Brutti ma buoni

Brutti ma buoni

Hazelnut meringue cookies

Buccellato

Buccellato

Wreath-shaped fig and nut cake, common during Christmas

Budino di ricotta

Budino di ricotta

Ricotta pudding, similar to cheesecake

Cantuccini Toscani

Cantuccini Toscani

Almond biscotti from Tuscany, Italy, commonly served with and dipped in Vin Santo dessert wine

Castagnaccio

Castagnaccio

Chestnut flour cake with raisins, walnuts, pine nuts, rosemary

Cavallucci

Cavallucci

Cookies made with candied citrus peel, nuts and spices like cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg and anise seeds, common during Christmas

Gelato

Gelato

Montebianco

Montebianco

Chestnut chocolate pasta topped with whipped cream, named after Monte Bianco mountain

Necci

Necci

Chestnut flour crepes, filled or topped with ricotta, chocolate, honey

Nocciolini

Nocciolini

Very small hazlenut meringue cookies

Pampapato di Ferrara

Pampapato di Ferrara

Dome-shaped fruitcake made with candied fruit, nuts, chocolate and spices, common during Christmas, from Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Panforte

Panforte

Fruitcake, made with dried fruit, nuts, candied citrus peel, honey and spices, common during Christmas

Panforte di Siena

Panforte di Siena

Fruitcake, made with dried fruit, nuts, candied citrus peel, honey and spices, common during Christmas

Pignoli

Pignoli

Pine nut cookies

Ricciarelli di Siena

Ricciarelli di Siena

Almond cookies, made with ground almonds, candied lemon or orange peel, vanilla, from Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Ricciolina

Ricciolina

Cake made with fresh pasta, almonds, orange and lemon zest, cocoa powder, rum, several variations

Schiacciata con uva

Schiacciata con uva

Schiacciata di Pasqua

Schiacciata di Pasqua

Sweet Easter bread with anise seeds

Spongata

Spongata

Cake filled with dried fruit, nuts and honey, common during Christmas

Torta di riso

Torta di riso

Sweet rice tart with lemon peel, vanilla, amaretti biscuits, almonds

Torta mantovana

Torta mantovana

Cake with lemon zest, almonds and pine nuts

Zuccherini

Zuccherini

Anise or lemon cookies

Zuccotto

Zuccotto

Dome-shaped sponge cake with chocolate mousse, whipped cream, liqueur, candied fruit, toasted nuts

Bianco di Pitigliano

Bianco di Pitigliano

Bolgheri

Bolgheri

Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino

Carignano

Carignano

Red grape from Spain

Chianti

Chianti

Colli Apuani

Colli Apuani

Colli Etruria Centrale

Colli Etruria Centrale

Colline Lucchesi

Colline Lucchesi

Elba

Elba

Montalcino

Montalcino

Montescudaio

Montescudaio

Morellino di Scansano

Morellino di Scansano

Morellino di Scansano

Morellino di Scansano

Nipozzano

Nipozzano

Parrina

Parrina

Rosso delle Colline Lucchesi

Rosso delle Colline Lucchesi

Rosso di Montalcino

Rosso di Montalcino

The Rosso di Montalcino DOC was established in 1984 as a means of giving Brunello di Montalcino producers the flexibility to continue the tradition of long aging of the region's flagship wine. Rosso di Montalcino is made from 100% Sangiovese grown in the same delineated region as Brunello di Montalcino. However, the wine is required to spend only six months aging in oak and 1 year total aging before release. This allows Brunello producers to make an earlier releasing wine that can generate cash flow while their Brunello di Montalcino age for their complete duration. In less than ideal vintages some producers will relegate all their grapes to Rosso di Montalcino production and not make a Brunello. Wineries can also declassify their Brunello that has already been aging 2–3 years and release it as Rosso di Montalcino if the wine is not developing to their expectations. Rosso di Montalcino is typically lighter, fresher and more approachable upon release though some producers will make wines with more Brunello like characteristics. These Baby Brunellos are often 1/3 to 1/2 the price of Brunello di Montalcino.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano

Sgroppino

Sgroppino

Mixed drink made with lemon sorbet, prosecco and vodka

Val di Chiana

Val di Chiana

Val di Cornia

Val di Cornia

Valdinievole

Valdinievole

Valle di Arbia

Valle di Arbia

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

White grape from Tuscany, Italy

Vin Santo

Vin Santo

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Acquacotta

Acquacotta

Vegetable soup with spinach, mushrooms, toasted bread, pecorino cheese and eggs

Agnello del Centro Italia

Agnello del Centro Italia

Lambs reared in Abruzzo, Marche, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Umbria, Italy

Arista

Arista

Roast pork loin

Baccalà alla livornese

Baccalà alla livornese

Salt-cured cod stewed with tomatoes, vegetables, white wine and olive oil

Baccalà e ceci

Baccalà e ceci

Cod and chickpeas

Bistecca alla fiorentina

Bistecca alla fiorentina

Grilled T-bone or porterhouse steak, brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and black pepper

Cacciucco alla livornese

Cacciucco alla livornese

Seafood soup, made with fish, shrimp, eel, cod, lobster, octopus, cuttlefish

Cacciucco alla viareggina

Cacciucco alla viareggina

Seafood soup, Viareggio style

Capozzelli

Capozzelli

Goat or lamb head sliced in half and cooked with a variety of herbs and spices

Cappone ripieno

Cappone ripieno

Stuffed and roasted capon, stuffed with giblets, ground meat, sausage, vegetables, chestnuts, hard boiled eggs

Capretto al forno con patate

Capretto al forno con patate

Roasted kid goat with potatoes, common during Easter

Carabaccia

Carabaccia

Chiocciole in umido

Chiocciole in umido

Ciambotta

Ciambotta

Stewed vegetables, another variation is a soup with seafood and fish

Cibreo

Cibreo

Stewed chicken giblets, rooster combs, offal, egg yolks, serve on toasted bread

Cinghiale all'agrodolce

Cinghiale all'agrodolce

Wild boar in sweet and sour sauce

Cinta Senese

Cinta Senese

Pigs reared in Tuscany, Italy

Coniglio arrosto

Coniglio arrosto

Cozze ripiene

Cozze ripiene

Stuffed mussels

Fagiano alla montaionese

Fagiano alla montaionese

Pheasant stewed with vegetables and wine

Fave e cicoria

Fave e cicoria

Puréed fava beans and sautéed chicory

Garmugia

Garmugia

Spring vegetable soup, made with asparagus, peas, vegetables, artichoke hearts, fava beans, pancetta, veal

Ginestrata

Ginestrata

Thin, egg-based soup with nutmeg, white wine, chicken stock

Gnudi

Gnudi

Dumplings made with ricotta, Pecorino Toscano, spinach, gnudi are essentially the filling for raviolis but without the pasta shell

Lampredotto

Lampredotto

Reed tripe (abomasum), commonly cooked in broth with vegetables, herbs and spices and made into a sandwich with salsa verde, a green sauce made with parsley, basil, olive oil, aromatics

Lasagne verdi

Lasagne verdi

Baked lasagne made with spinach pasta, or made with spinach

Lepre alle erbe in stile etrusco

Lepre alle erbe in stile etrusco

Braised wild hare with vegetables, herbs and wine

Melanzane alla parmigiana

Melanzane alla parmigiana

Eggplant casserole with tomato sauce and cheese

Minestra di ceci

Minestra di ceci

Chickpea soup with pasta, meat, vegetables

Minestra di farro

Minestra di farro

Spelt soup with vegetables, greens, beans, herbs

Pancotto

Pancotto

Thick soup made with broth, stale bread, vegetables, chili peppers, beans, garlic, cheese, herbs

Pappa al pomodoro

Pappa al pomodoro

Bread and tomato soup

Pappardelle alla lepre

Pappardelle alla lepre

Pappardelle noodles with hare stewed in a tomato and wine sauce

Pasta al burro

Pasta al burro

Pasta with butter and parmigiano cheese, similar to fettuccine Alfredo

Pasta al tartufo

Pasta al tartufo

Pasta with truffles or truffle sauce, for example, strangozzi pasta

Pasta alla Valdostana

Pasta alla Valdostana

Pasta baked with Fontina cheese, prosciutto, mushrooms and a cream sauce

Penne strascicate

Penne strascicate

Penne pasta in a meat ragù with ground beef, ground pork, red wine and tomatoes

Peposo

Peposo

Tuscan black pepper stewed beef with red wine

Trends coming soon

Polenta pasticciata

Polenta pasticciata

Layered polenta casserole with meat sauce, sliced polenta is layered with mushroom sauce, tomatoes, ground beef, veal, sausage, Parmigiano-Reggiano, then baked

Pollo alla romana

Pollo alla romana

Chicken with bell peppers, common on the Ferragosto holiday on Aug 15

Polpo in umido

Polpo in umido

Porchetta

Porchetta

Pork roast, also refers to roast suckling pig

Ragù alla salsiccia

Ragù alla salsiccia

Tomato sauce with sausage, serve with pasta

Ragù di lenticchie

Ragù di lenticchie

Stewed lentils, serve by themselves or as a sauce with pasta

Ragù Genovese

Ragù Genovese

Braised beef and onion sauce, serve with pasta

Ribollita

Ribollita

Bread soup with cabbage, cannellini beans, lacinato kale and other various vegetables and beans

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