In the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, you can taste the traditional delicious dishes of the area.
Scottiglia
This is a traditional recipe from the Casentino. The scottiglia is a stew whose uniqueness and exquisiteness is given by the use of different qualities of meat cooked together. The more different the combination of meats used, the more tasty the stew is. For this reason it is called “Caciucco di terra”, “Cacciucco di carne” (with meat) in opposition to the typical Cacciucco di mare (with seafood) or better “Cacciucco del Casentino”. The origin of the recipe could date back to the Middle Ages, or probably the Etruscan period.
Scottiglia, casentinopiu.it
Potato tortelli
Typical dish of the Casentine countryside, the potato Tortelli was prepared by the housewives with the few ingredients they had available. The surrounding countryside gave a flourishing production of potatoes, for this reason the housewives combined this simple ingredient with garlic, tomatoes and pecorino, giving life to one of the most simple and tasty dishes of Tuscan cuisine.
Tortelli di lastra
Typical dish of the Tosco-Romagnolo Apennines, its name “di lastra” comes from the refractory plate on which the tortelli are cooked. A sheet of soft wheat flour, water and salt is spread with a rolling pin and filled with different kinds of stuffing: boiled potatoes, onion, nutmeg, pecorino cheese, bacon and salt, otherwise ricotta, boiled herbs and grated cheese.
This delicious dish has comes from the East barbarian populations after the fall of the Roman Empire. The way to cook the tortelli in a plate, in fact, indicates the typical habits of the nomads to adapt to every situation.
Acquacotta – Bread soup
Typical dish of the Tuscan gastronomic tradition, acquacotta means literally “cooked water” and is a very simple dish, but rich in ingredients that make it very tasty. Its origin dates back to peasant Tuscany, during which this recipe was prepared to give a substantial meal to the farmers after a day of work in the fields. Tomatoes, celery, onions, wild herbs, pecorino cheese and an egg are all the ingredients that make up this ancient delicacy. The ingredients should be added one by one to ensure that each of them is slowly flavored by blending with others.
Cabbage croutons
Very simple and tasty, this recipe is based on black cabbage, a common vegetable that reaches its maturation during the winter. The cabbage is boiled for 30/35 minutes and then chopped to go to stuff the croutons. The bread should be Tuscan quality, toasted and flavored with a clove of garlic. In ancient times this recipe was cooked for the Christmas holidays, but today can be served as an excellent appetizer all year round.
Cabbage Croutons, nicolanatili.i
Lattaiola and Baldino
The lattaiola is an ancient Tuscan dessert. It is a delicious cream cooked in the oven and flavored with lemon, nutmeg and cinnamon, then served freshly baked rather or cool, diced and sprinkled with an abundant sprinkling of icing sugar.
Also called castagnaccio, the Baldino is a typical dessert of the Tuscan autumn obtained from the processing of chestnut flour. Its origins date back to the gastronomic culture of the Apennines in which all the rural life was based on the chestnut trees and their fruit. Chestnuts, pine nuts, olive oil, salt and rosemary are the simple ingredients for cooking this excellent autumn dessert.
