Tuscany is famous for her hearty, comforting cuisine. It is full of dishes to make you feel happy and full and, in particular, has a plentiful selection of seasonal meals that make use of delicious ingredients throughout the year. In Autumn and Winter, there are plenty of Tuscan dishes that are tasty, wholesome and ideal for warming you up as the weather gets colder.
Soups, especially, are always a good idea at this time of year and Tuscany has birthed quite a few excellent options but one of the most unique has to be Frantoiana Soup. Full of flavour and stuffed with lots of nutritious ingredients, it is ideal for getting cosy, staving off colds and getting into the festive spirit this Fall.
Hailing from the hills that surround Lucca, this will appear on local menus if you find a vacation rental in Lucca and spend time in the area over the next few months but is also something you can replicate at home while you look forward and plan your next getaway to Tuscany.
Why not try it out using this recipe (based on this recipe)?
Serves 6 people.
Total prep and cooking time: Around 3 hours.
Ingredients:
1kg of dried beans
80g of home-cured pancetta
2 medium-sized leeks
250g of pumpkin
3 potatoes
2 white cabbages
80g of parsley
3 black cabbages
3 zucchini
3 bunches of basil
3 bunches of wild thyme
2 carrots
4 stalks of celery
1 large red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 hot pepper
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
6/7 pieces of stale bread
Salt and pepper, Chives, Borage and assorted herbs to taste
Method:
1. Start by pre-cooking the beans and prepping the vegetables and dice them into large chunks. Chop the herbs.
2. Add oil to a pan and combine the vegetables and herbs and, when they have lost much of their water, add in the pre-cooked beans.
3. Next, add water to taste, depending on how thick you want the soup to be.
4. Make croutons from the toasted, stale bread and place in a bowl.
5. Once the vegetables in the soup are completely cooked through, transfer to the bowl and wait for the bread to soften by absorbing the broth.
6. Season with a little extra-virgin olive oil and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot and enjoy!
Why not try it out using this recipe (based on this recipe)?
Serves 6 people.
Total prep and cooking time: Around 3 hours.
Ingredients:
1kg of dried beans
80g of home-cured pancetta
2 medium-sized leeks
250g of pumpkin
3 potatoes
2 white cabbages
80g of parsley
3 black cabbages
3 zucchini
3 bunches of basil
3 bunches of wild thyme
2 carrots
4 stalks of celery
1 large red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 hot pepper
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
6/7 pieces of stale bread
Salt and pepper, Chives, Borage and assorted herbs to taste
Method:
1. Start by pre-cooking the beans and prepping the vegetables and dice them into large chunks. Chop the herbs.
2. Add oil to a pan and combine the vegetables and herbs and, when they have lost much of their water, add in the pre-cooked beans.
3. Next, add water to taste, depending on how thick you want the soup to be.
4. Make croutons from the toasted, stale bread and place in a bowl.
5. Once the vegetables in the soup are completely cooked through, transfer to the bowl and wait for the bread to soften by absorbing the broth.
6. Season with a little extra-virgin olive oil and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot and enjoy!
