8 Quintessentially Tuscan Ingredients

Ah, Tuscany. Undulating landscapes, villas framed in cypress trees, vineyards, olive trees, and colorful towns perched on the hilltops. The territory is just as pleasing to the palate as it is to the eyes. Here’s a look at eight quintessentially Tuscan ingredients.

Tuscan bread

This salt-free loaf features a hard crust and soft crumb that wonderfully complements the regional cuisine, letting the vibrant flavors shine. It’s also delicious when slightly toasted, rubbed with a clove of garlic, and topped with a drizzle of oil, and it makes a great base for bruschetta.

Pine nuts

Vitamin- and protein-rich, pine nuts from Viareggio have a sweet, delicate, and unmistakable taste. They’re found in plenty of recipes such as la torta della nonna, a custard pie, and castagnaccio, a cake made from chestnut flour.

Beans

Beans are so prevalent in Tuscany, that the people are even nicknamed mangiafagioli (bean eaters). There’s no Tuscan vegetable garden where they’re not grown and no trattoria that doesn’t serve them in steaming soups or as a side dish with bistecca. They’ve been growing beans since the 16th century, and many varieties are grown today, such as the well-known cannellini beans, the Sorana bean (protected by Slow Food presidium) and the cappone (capon) bean. 

Brigidini

These crispy wafers, immortalized in Pellegrino Artusi’s 1891 book Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well (La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene), are from the town of Lamporecchio. They’re found at every fair, festival, and carnival in the region, where they are freshly prepared with the special machinery that presses the dough of flour, eggs, sugar, and anise essence into a mold, which gives them these light, crunchy treats their waffle shape.

Testaroli

Typical of Lunigiana, testaroli are large discs made from flour, water, and salt, cooked in a testo, cast iron, or terracotta pans, from which they take their name. Once ready, they are cut into diamond shapes or strips, soaked in boiling salted water, and finished with pesto (Liguria is nearby) or with mushrooms.

Extra-virgin olive oil PGI

A raw thread is enough to give grace to each recipe. Frantoio, leccino, and moraiolo are the most used olive varieties, alone or together, resulting in oils that always rank first place in the sector guides.

Bistecca alla fiorentina

This cut of Chianina loin has a T-shaped bone in the middle, which divides the tenderloin from the sirloin. It should be at least three fingers high and cooked very little over live embers. The “rule” says 3 minutes per side and then 5 minutes standing on the bone. A nice crust should form on the outside, while the inside is red, soft, and juicy.

Lardo di Colonnata PGI

One of the world’s most sought after and (imitated) Tuscan products, Lardo di Colonnata comprises pieces of pork lard seasoned with aromatics that include pepper, cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, sage, and other spices.