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Lampredotto

Italian Cuisine

Wild Boar Stew

Wild Boar Stew

Of all regions in Italy, Tuscany is at the very heart of country cooking. The goodness of the freshest produce gives Tuscan cuisine its distinguished taste. Roasted meats may comprise of duck, pheasant, rabbit, pigeon, and free-range chicken.

Wild boar is a popular delicacy in the region due to the abundance of its meat source. Cinghiale in Umido is a type of stewed wild boar recipe found in Tuscan homes. Some variations of the recipe use olives, while others use pears or apples.

The region’s fine Chianti wines are included in the recipe as well. The meat cooks slowly in a stock pot filled with a combination of herbs such as rosemary and juniper, enhanced by spices such as garlic and chili pepper. The result is a dish of tender meat with a tasty flavorful stew.

Fiori Di Zucca Fritti

Fiori Di Zucca Fritti

If you are looking for unique gustatory delights in the capital, try fiori di zucca, a specialty dish of fried zucchini blossoms with stuffing.

Fiori di zucca is a mouth-watering dish designed to whet your appetite for the main course. The stuffing is made with mozzarella or ricotta cheese, anchovies, basil, and parsley. Another version makes do without the stuffing – just the zucchini blossoms coated in flour, eggs and seasoning, then deep fried in hot oil.

Lampredotto

Lampredotto

Lampredotto is a true delicacy among Florentines. It is cow innards, particularly the fourth stomach, and it is often sold in the form of a sandwich.

These streetside lampredotto stalls offer the perfect respite when hunger pangs gnaw at your body after you’ve been sightseeing for several hours. It’s also very affordable; you’ll often see a swarm of locals hanging around the lampredotto vendors, waiting for their lunch to be served.

Polenta

Polenta
Polenta

Polenta is called Italy’s national dish for all the right reasons. This cornmeal mush has roots that can be traced back to the time of Roman legionnaires, for whom polenta was a main source of energy.

Polenta is compatible with many other dishes, be it meats, vegetables, poultry, or fish. In the absence of bread or pasta, soft polenta is served with cheese or butter. You can find polenta in cake form as well, with layers of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, which melts in the oven while baking.

Simple yet tasty, polenta can be quite filling. The color of the cornmeal used in making polenta varies in every region. Thus you may find it available in colors such as white or golden yellow.

Cassata Siciliana

Cassata Siciliana

Little is known about Sicily’s sweet tooth, but there is, in fact, a wide variety of desserts and sweet snacks from this section of Italy.

The most celebrated dessert to come out of Sicily is cassata, a traditional sponge cake filled with ricotta cheese, chocolate shavings, and nuts. Toppings of candied fruits such as cherries and orange slices create a highly decadent cake perfect for special occasions.

The taste of Ricotta and chocolate combines sinfully with the flavors of the Maraschino cherries and the candied fruits. To match the sweetness of cassata, pair it with choice wines with fruity accents.