TASTE OF TUSCANY cooking class recipes
RECIPES
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Today we’re making traditional Tuscan cantucci, a classic twice-baked Italian biscuit known for its crisp texture. They keep well for several weeks in an airtight container, making them perfect for preparing ahead. While almonds are traditional, you can mix and match nuts such as hazelnuts, pistachios, or walnuts, and add lemon or orange zest for different flavours. The key technique is the double baking, which gives cantucci their signature crunch. They’re perfectly enjoyed with a coffee or, traditionally in Tuscany, dipped into a glass of Vin Santo.
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Makes about 18 biscuits
● Have 250g plain flour
● 125g caster sugar
● 1 tsp baking powder
● 3 eggs
● 2 tsp almond essence
● 1 vanilla pod
● 100gr whole toasted hazelnuts in the oven for about 15 min. at 200 degrees
● 100gr whole toasted almonds with the skins in the oven for about 15 min. at 200
degrees
● 50gr unsalted butter softened- to butter the baking paper on a lined tray
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Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 170.
2. Roughly chop the toasted nuts.
3. Mix the flour in a bowl with the baking powder and sugar.
4. Beat the eggs together with a fork, add the almond essence and scraped vanilla pod.
5. Pour this mixture into the flour and stir to combine into a soft dough.
6. Add the nuts and mix well.
7. Flour a surface and divide the dough into two.
8. Shape each into flattish logs, approximately 8-10cm wide and 25cm long.
9. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, rub half the butter and place the logs on top.
10. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.
11. Remove and cool for about 15mins. When cool enough to touch, use a bread knife to
cut the logs crosswise into 1.5cm pieces.
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Ricotta Gnudi with Spinach & Crispy Sage
‘Gnudi’ translates as ‘naked’ and they get this name because they are essentially "naked ravioli"—they consist of just the ricotta and spinach filling without the surrounding pasta shell. The combination of spinach and ricotta is very traditional in the region and is also used in ravioli or crespelle.
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Ingredients for 6 portions
● 500g baby spinach leaves - Steamed, set aside in a colander over a bowl to cool
and then squeeze out water.
● 40 gr 00 flour with a teaspoon of salt
● 250gr ricotta in the fridge
● 1 egg
● 100gr parmesan, plus for sprinkle on top
● plenty of semolina for dusting
● 75gr butter
● 10gr Sage with stems
● a pot of salted water on the hobs
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Method
1. Steam the spinach and thoroughly drain and set aside.
2. Mix the flour with the ricotta in a large bowl until it resembles lumpy breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the egg and the Parmesan. Add a pinch of salt, a twist of black pepper, the nutmeg
and then add the spinach which you need to first squeeze all the water out of before adding.
Combine thoroughly with a wooden spoon or with your hands.
4. Sprinkle plenty of semolina on a small plate and then also onto a large tray. Take small lumps
of the flour, egg and spinach mixture and form them into small balls by rolling them between
your palms, to the size of small golf balls. Turn each ball through the bowl of semolina, then
place on the tray you've prepared with the rest of the semolina. When finished, you should
have about 3 per person
5. Fill the double handle black pan with salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Place the gnudi
in the boiling water as quickly as possible, bringing it back to the boil on the highest heat, and
continue to simmer for about three minutes.
6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter and add the sage
leaves. When it bubbles, reduce to a very low heat and leave until the sage is crispy.
7. The gnudi will float to the surface when they are ready. Turn off the heat, remove them with
a slotted spoon and place them into baking dishes in a single layer. Make sure to butter the
oven tins with a little bit of the sage butter before placing the balls.
8. Top with the melted sage butter and sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven at 200
degrees for about 15minutes until slightly browned and crispy.
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In this typical sauce of Tuscan cuisine, we use dried porcini as, unlike fresh porcini, they are available year-round and easy to keep in the pantry. When rehydrated, they also give us a lovely stock, which, once carefully strained, can be used like a mushroom stock to add another layer of depth to the sauce. With this sauce it’s important to build flavour in stages: browning the sausage properly, developing the aromatics, soaking the porcini, deglazing the pan, and then allowing everything to simmer so the flavours come together.
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Ingredients for 12 people:
● 500gr of Tuscan Sausage in the fridge
● 55gr of Porcini soaked in 450ml of boiling water
● 350ml of white wine
● 1 whole head of garlic cloves
● 1 Bunch of parsley
● Parmesan cheese
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Method
1.Cut the sausage out of their skin and break into pieces. Brown in a pan without oil until golden. Whilst the sausage is browning, chop the parsley stems finely into one bowl and chop the leaves and keep in a separate bowl. Chop the garlic.
2. Add the chopped parsley stems and the chopped garlic, salt, pepper and a bit of chilli. Fry for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the wine and the drained and rinsed porcini and deglaze for a couple of mins, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the porcini water making sure to not add all the grit which is at the bottom of the bowl.
6. Leave to simmer for five minutes and then turn off.
7. Once you are ready to cook the pasta, turn the sauce back on, heat and add parmesan cheese and parsley leaves chopped and stir well.
8. Add the cooked pasta, some pasta water and combine with sauce until smooth and glossy.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Egg Pasta Dough
Recipe for 1 person:
● 100gr of 00 flour per person with an egg and a pinch of salt.
Pasta Dough:
00 flour and egg dough is the dough more typical of northern Italy, especially
Emilia-Romagna, and is used with egg-based pasta for butter, cream, and delicate meat or cheese sauces where a softer, silkier texture is preferred. It is also the dough used for all the stuffed pasta shapes like ravioli, tortellini etc.
This dough is made by mixing egg, 00 flour and salt into a dough before rolling the pasta out into pasta sheets using the pasta machine going down to number 1 thickness. We then lay the sheets down on a floured surface and cut them into random shapes called maltagliati meaning “badly cut”
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This is very much a dish rooted in Tuscan home cooking, where beans, seasonal vegetables, good olive oil and herbs are used to create food that is affordable, nourishing and satisfying. Cavolo nero, or Tuscan kale, is particularly associated with the cooler months. It comes into its best season from autumn through winter, when the leaves become sweeter and more tender. It’s a wonderfully hardy vegetable and has been a staple of Tuscan cooking for centuries. Cannellini beans are another important ingredient in Tuscan cuisine, traditionally used in soups and stews to add texture, richness and plenty of substance.
As we cook, we’ll build the flavour gradually — starting with a good base of aromatics, then adding the beans and cavolo nero so everything has time to develop and come together. The finished stew should be hearty but not heavy, with creamy beans, tender greens and a lovely depth of flavour.
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Ingredients for 12 people
● 2 bold bean jars of organic white beans (570gr net weight with liquid per jar)
● 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
● 4 big cloves of garlic
● 12 grams fresh rosemary with stems
● 16 grams fresh sage with stems
● 350gr Cavolo Nero with stems
● 550ml water weighed in a jug
● 90gr of Pecorino Toscana cheese grated, plus for serving
● Salt and black pepper to taste
● 12 slices of sourdough bread
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Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped garlic, rosemary and sage. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
3. Drain and rinse the beans in a colander.
4. Add the beans to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
5. Remove the leaves from the stems of the cavolo nero and discard the stems. Add the roughly torn cavolo nero leaves and the stock to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer for 5- 10 minutes until reduced and creamy.
6. Stir in the Pecorino cheese and adjust seasoning if needed.
7. Toast the bread in the oven and drizzle with fresh Tuscan olive oil. Top with the beans and serve immediately with grated pecorino cheese on top.
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Ingredients for 12 people
● 450 g Castel Franco
● 2 Persimmon (if not available 3 pears would work,too)
● 160 g Piece Parmesan cheese
● 80 g Toasted Walnuts
● 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
● 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
● 2 tsp honey
● Salt
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Method
1. Cut the leaves of the Castel Franco into rough, large pieces and place in a large serving bowl.
2. Remove the leafy tops from the persimmons and cut them into thin wedges. If using pears, core and thinly slice them. Add the fruit to the salad.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar and honey. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Add the shaved Parmesan and toasted walnuts to the Castel Franco and persimmon. Pour over the dressing and gently toss everything together until well coated.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.
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