Tuscany

Baccala alla Fiorentina
Florentine-Style Baccala

1 lb baccala (salted cod)
6 Tbsp A.G. Ferrari Foods extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 28-oz can La Caterina peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Mulino Sobrino type 0 flour
4 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil for frying

Soak baccala overnight, changing water 4-5 times. Pat baccala dry and cut into 2"x2" pieces. Saute onion and garlic with oil and salt for 10-15 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, dredge baccala in flour. Fry until crisp and golden (2-3 minutes per side). Layer baccala in a separate frying pan and cover with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with parsley; simmer for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Cavolo Nero in Padella
Sauteed Lacinato Kale

3 bunches Lacinato kale
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup A.G. Ferrari Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup A.G. Ferrari Annibale Bianco white wine
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Wash and boil the kale in 3 quarts of water with 1 tsp salt for 10 to 15 minutes.Drain and set aside.

Slowly saute onion and garlic with olive oil for 8 to 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the kale and add it to the onion. Add the wine and saute for 6 to 8 minutes more.

Season with black pepper; remove from heat and serve hot.or as a vegetable side dish.

Serves 4 to 6.

Fagioli e Pancetta
Three-Bean Salad with Pancetta

1 cup cannellini beans
1 cup ceci (garbanzo) beans
1 cup borlotti (cranberry) beans
2 cloves garlic
1/4 lb pancetta
2 Tbsp lemon juice
arugula

Soak beans overnight; drain. Simmer beans separately for approximately one hour (remove when tender) in 2 quarts of fresh, unsalted water. In the meantime,saute garlic and pancetta until tender (5-6 minutes). Add lemon juice. Let beans cool to room temperature then drain. Toss beans with sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on individual serving plates over fresh arugula. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Fettuccine con Rucola e Pomodoro Fresco
Fettuccine with Arugula Pesto and Fresh Tomatoes

1 pound freshA.G. Ferrari fettuccine pasta
1 cup arugula pesto (8 oz. container)
2 pound fresh Roma tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup A.G. Ferrari extra virgin olive oil

For the water
1 Tbsp salt

Wash, clean and cut Roma tomatoes into 10 wedges. Place tomatoes into a large bowl and season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Bring 5 quarts of water to boil. Add 1 Tbs. salt. Put fettuccine into the water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain pasta but set aside 1/2 cup of water. Mix pasta and tomatoes. Add arugula pesto sauce and saved water. Toss pasta, tomatoes and sauce. Serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6.

Insalata di Farro
Emmer Wheat Salad

2 cups farro
1 pound green leaf lettuce
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cups Gaeta or Kalamata olives
5 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup A.G. Ferrari extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

This tangy Tuscan salad is made with farro, an ancient form of wheat that is much loved in Italy. Farros unique flavor (something like a cross between barley and wheat) and nutty texture make it one of our chefs favorite grains to cook with.This recipe is a cinch to make and can be made the night before.

Boil farro for 20 to 30 minutes in a gallon of generously salted, boiling water. Drain farro and let cool. Combine vegetables, olives, salt, black pepper, vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Toss vegetable mixture with farro.

Serve at room temperature with a bottle of sangiovese wine.

Serves 4 to 8.

Manzo Brasato con Cannellini e Rape
Braised Beef with Cannellini Beans and Beets

Braised Beef
2 one-inch slices beef shank, bone in
1 bunch spring onions or 2 bunches scallions, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp A.G. Ferrari Foods extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Annibale Bianco white wine
1 cup vegetable broth

Cannellini Beans
2 cups Borgo Fiorito cannellini beans
1 rosemary twig (leaves removed)
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp Caramel red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Beets
1 beet
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper

Parsley Vinaigrette
1/4 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper

Soak cannellini beans for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight).

Brush beef with olive oil and rub lightly with salt and pepper. Sear both sides of beef in a frying pan. Discard the drippings. Add onions to the pan; stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add wine. Remove bone marrow and add to sauce. Add broth, cover and simmer for 5 to 6 hours.

To prepare the beets: Remove the leaves and the end of the beet root, then boil until tender (30-40 minutes). Peel off the skin under cold, running water. Dice beet into 1/8-inch cubes. Toss with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.

To prepare the cannellini beans: Drain water and rinse well. Add cold water to four inches above the beans, then simmer, uncovered, with the rosemary twig for 1 hour, removing any foam from the top. Allow beans to cool in their own water.

To make the parsley vinaigrette: Remove stems and any yellow leaves from parsley. Mince parsley with a sharp knife. Combine remaining ingredients with parsley.

When beef is ready, remove the bones and cut each slice into four pieces. Return meat to the saucepan and reduce sauce to less than a cup.

Drain beans and toss with salt, pepper, vinegar and oil. Pile beans into the center of each plate. Add 5 half-teaspoonful dollops of beets spaced equally apart around the edges of the beans.

Place two pieces of beef and a tablespoon of sauce on top of beans in the center of the plate. Drizzle a tablespoon of parsley vinaigrette over the entire plate. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Panzanella
Tuscan Bread Salad

1 loaf Italian bread
1/2 cup Prosecco vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 pints cold water
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
1 bunch basil, coarsely chopped
1 basket cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup Gaeta olives
1/3 cup A.G. Ferrari extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

This famous Northern Italian bread salad is an excellent accompaniment to
grilled meats. Panzanella, the Ligurian equivalent of rice salad, is usually
made with leftover bread and always contains onions, tomatoes and cucumbers.
If you like, you can add tuna, cheese or ham.

Cut bread into one-inch cubes and soak in water and vinegar for 15 minutes. Combine all of the vegetables and add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well. Squeeze thebread free of water and add to the vegetables. Toss well, place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 2 hours before serving. Or make a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.

Serves 4 to 6.

Pollo Novello Alla Toscana
Spring Chicken with Porcini Mushrooms and Tomatoes

3 pounds chicken (cleaned and cutted into regular pieces)
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 oz A.G. Ferrari Foods dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups canned tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup A.G. Ferrari Foods extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
6 leaves sage

Wash mushrooms thoroughly in cold water. Soak mushrooms in warm chicken stock for 15 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with 1 tsp. salt, black pepper and flour. Saute chicken with extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan for 6 to 8 minutes, add wine and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, chicken stock, chopped garlic, tomatoes and chopped sage. Cook covered and slowly for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot with polenta on the side.

Serves 4 people.

Torta di Farro
Farro Cake

1 cup Bechelli farro
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1/4 cup Mulino Sobrino type 0 flour
1 each lemon rind (grated)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp breadcrumbs

Boil farro in salted boiling water for 40 minutes. Drain farro and let cool.In a large bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and lemon rind. Using an egg beater, gradually stir in milk and eggs (one at a time). Add boiled farro into the egg mixture and stir well. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake in a 370 degrees oven for 45 minutes.

Let cool and serve. Serve with vin santo dessert wine.Serves 8 to 10.

Zuppa di Farro
Farro and Sausage Soup

1 hot Italian sausage, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups Bechelli farro
1/2 cup A.G. Ferrari Foods Freschissima
7 to 8 cups vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
a hearty extra virgin olive oil, like A.G. Ferrari Foods
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a large pot, combine the first seven ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil for 20-25 minutes, or until farro has reached the consistency that you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into individual bowls.Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and drizzle with a hearty extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 4.

From Recipezarr - Anchovy Sauce#81626 (Florentine)

by Polar Bear (see my other recipes)

This sauce is EXCELLENT with pasta, boiled beans, meat and poultry. We love having this over and over again in the family. Definitely not fastfood pasta. From Paolo Petroni's : ''The Complete Book of Florentine Cooking''. Hard to find cookbook. Petroni is Florentine delgate to the Accademia Italiana della Cucina. Prep time is cook time

4    large salted anchovies

1    clove garlic

1    tablespoon caper

      parsley

      olive oil

      salt and pepper

1.    Wash, rinse and remove all the bones from the anchovies.

2.    In a casserole (preferably earthenware), saute the garlic clove in 5 spoonfuls of oil, Before it begins to color, add the anchovies and help them to dissolve using a wooden spoon.

3.    Remove the garlic and add the finely chopped parsley and capers, salt and pepper to taste, then stir well and remove from heat