Castagnaccio is a typical Tuscan sweet made from chestnut flour. It’s therefore a typical autumn preparation. Its particularity is to be prepared without sugar and with very few additional ingredients. Its taste is delicate and subtle, with a compact but soft consistency at the same time.
Tag: italy
How to make Stracciatella at home
Straciatella is a fresh dairy derivative that arose as a solution to take advantage of the remains in the production of mozzarella. Its creaminess and softness allow it to immediately win the hearts of those who try it. It is mostly famous as a filling for the burrata in Puglia, but in Italy it can also be found separately.
Bresaola carpaccio
“Bresaola della Valtellina” is a typical dried meat from north Italy. As it’s made from lean beef, its fat content is very low. This bresaola carpaccio, super simple and quick, is one of the most typical ways to enjoy this tasty ingredient of Italian cuisine.
Radicchio and gorgonzola risotto
Radicchio and gorgonzola might sound strange for some people, but it’s a very popular combination in Italy. Purple chicory, better known under the name “radicchio”, is a rather bitter-tasting bud, much appreciated in Italian gastronomy. It is very common to find it combined with the strong flavor of gorgonzola cheese, sometimes also balanced with caramelized red onions.
Pumpkin flan, a surprising autumn starter
Despite what its name suggests, this flan is not a dessert. It’s actually a very tasty autumn appetizer that can be served hot or cold. Indeed, the technique of baking a flan with milk (or cream) and eggs can also be used by adding a salty main ingredient, thus creating a surprising recipe.
Authentic Tuscan Ribollita recipe
Ribollita is a vegetable and white bean soup, typical of Italian Tuscany. It is a recipe for use and its name means “re-boiled”, since it was reheated the next day, also adding the stale bread that would have been left over.
Black rice recipe (riso al nero di seppia)
A delicious first course with an irresistible flavor from the sea, and also visually very attractive due to its distinctive black color. The ingredient that dyes the rice in this way is squid or cuttlefish ink. With a few variations, this recipe is a classic from the Spanish Mediterranean coast (where it is known as arroz negro or black rice), passing through Italy (riso or risotto al nero di seppia), reaching Croatian Dalmatia, where it is served with the name of black risotto (crni rižot).
Stuffed courgette flowers (fiori di zucca ripieni)
This is another example of a very easy and tasty Mediterranean starter. Courgette flowers have a very delicate flavor and are usually cooked stuffed with rice in Greece and Turkey, or otherwise with fresh cheese in Italy.
Squid with onion and tomato
This simple and delicious recipe is an excellent source of protein and requires little work. In addition, it’s also healthier than other common recipes of squid, which usually involve breading and frying.
How to make mussels marinara in only 10 minutes
Fish and shellfish are great protagonists of the Mediterranean diet and are generally recommended within a healthy and balanced nutrition plan. Unfortunately, many people avoid them just because they don’t know how to prepare them. And yet, the recipes are usually very simple, since both generally require a short cooking time and few ingredients, like this recipe of “mussels marinara”.