Azienda Agricola Marinelli - Montenero d' Orcia - Grosseto

by MASCELLONI Franco - Montenero d' Orcia - GROSSETO - ITALY

Maremma: a kitchen simple, but large raw materials

That land of Maremma, has always been a kitchen poor, simple but large raw materials.

As for the starters can be tasted stuffed artichokes, crostini with cabbage, tomatoes stuffed. Ever present cured meats and sausages true pride of the kitchen agriculturaler.

For the first dishes is famous the acquacotta, the panzanella, the "pappa" with tomato", "pappardelle and tortelli" (stuffed with "ricotta" and spinach, potato, pumpkin), all accompanied with juices of game, mushrooms, asparagus wild.

The land of Maremma has always been privileged hunting and between the second flat reigns the wild boar with different systems of cooking (baked, stewed, in a pan). Very valuable meat from sheep and lamb. Very important is the pork cooked in various ways and the famous sausage. Another famous dish is the "scottiglia", flat sturdy and energy composed of various kinds of meat flavored with tomato and smells.

Dish important for all the cake is the "ricotta" (cheese strictly sheep), the chestnuts (who does not know famous chestnut cake), figs, pine nuts.

To appreciate the Tuscan cooking is very important the condiment with extra virgin olive oil. All dishes Tuscan must be possibly accompanied with wine.

THE RECIPE SUGGESTED

Acquacotta maremmana

Ingredients: 6 slices of dry bread tuscan, 3 large onions, tomatoes ripe gr.400, 6 eggs, grated pecorino cheese, basil, celery leaves, olive oil, salt and pepper.

In a pot with 8 tablespoons of oil to dry onions chopped finely, add tomatoes, basil and celery into pieces big enough, salt and pepper enough.

Cook for about 1/2 hours and then add water or broth for about 1,5. Cook it for another 30 minutes.

Add the eggs trying not to break and continue cooking for 4 minutes.

In each dish put a slice of bread, broiled earlier, sprinkler with pecorino cheese and pour over the hot water still hot. Up to a whole egg.

The recipe is for 6 people.

THE FAST RECIPE

Fettunta toscana

Ingredients: 1 slice of bread tuscan, a couple of spoonfuls of cabbage black burned in salted water, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.

The black cabbage is particularly widespread in Tuscany, and indeed is sometimes called "Tuscan cabbage." It seems that this way of preparing of "bruschetta", or the second version Tuscan, the fettunta, may be considered ancient.

Clean, washed and scalded black cabbage in salted water, then shed with care and without it cool, mince grossly. Toast the slice of bread, rub with the clove of garlic, pour over the cabbage and black sprayed with oil.