Pollo al Mattone

In introducing the recipe in La Cucina Toscana, Giovanni Righi Parenti says it's extremely old: Frescos depicting what appears to be a grill with a chicken being flattened by a stone occur in Etruscan tombs. Here are his instructions.

Clean the bird, chop off the neck (many Italian chickens still come with neck and head attached), and split it up the breast, then press it flat and pound it well with the flat of a thick-bladed knife, as if you were pounding a cutlet. Make a rub by mincing a few leaves of sage, one or two cloves of garlic, salt, abundant freshly ground black pepper, and a little red pepper. Rub the rub into the meat, rub it with abundant olive oil, and set it aside until you are ready to grill it (if you do this do this the day before, letting it marinate in the oil, you won't have to baste as you grill). Once the coals are ready (you want them hot but not searingly hot) lay the bird over them and place a well-cleaned brick over it to help keep it flat. Use a potholder to lift the brick when it's time to turn the bird over. Mr. Parenti suggests 15-20 minutes' cooking time, which in my experience isn't enough -- I often grill chicken for close to an hour. Exactly how long you do cook the bird will depend upon its size and the heat of the fire; it will be done when you sick a skewer into the wing joint and the juices run clear. Mr. Parenti also notes that if you do not marinate the bird in olive oil, you will have to baste it with olive oil repeatedly as it cooks lest it dry out.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

Many in the English-speaking world would call this a Porterhouse and wonder what the fuss is about. And they'd be right in most cases; though fiorentine are featured prominently on the menus of almost all the restaurants in Florence, finding a good one isn't at all easy. But when you do it's heaven on earth, delightfully rich, flavorful rare meat so tender it can be cut with a spoon. Much of the secret is the breed of cattle, Chianina beef, which are huge white oxen raised in the Val di Chiana, near Arezzo. Their meats are both tender and flavorful, and because of the size reached by the animals the steaks can easily exceed 6 pounds -- to find a source for Chianina beef in North America contact the American Chianina Association (Tel.(816) 431-2808). Otherwise, buy a steak from another breed; to serve two people you will want one that has been well aged (go to a butcher you trust), weighs 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, and is 1 3/4 inch thick (6-800 g and 4 cm). As Vittorio Zani and Giampaolo Pecori note, in A Fuoco Vivo, a little collection of grilling recipes, the thickness is given by the thickness of the T-bone that separates the filet and contre-filet; this means that in the case of a huge animal the steak could be even thicker and weigh more. The cut? Porterhouse is best because it has both filet and contre filet. If that's not available, then T-bone or strip steak.

Once you have your steak and your coals, which should be quite hot, set your grill about 4 inches (10 cm) above them and let it heat for a few minutes, but not too long because otherwise it will burn lines into the meat. Drop the steak on the grill, let it sear briefly, and then reduce the heat by raising the grill slightly. As soon as the steak comes off the grill easily flip it and liberally salt the freshly grilled surface. After a few more minutes, when the other side comes free, flip again and salt. Don't worry about over salting because the seared surface won't allow the salt to draw out excess moisture. A few minutes more, flip, pepper (lightly), flip, pepper again lightly, and that's it.

The important thing is that the heat remain constant and intense following the initial very high-heat searing, and if the coals look like they're dying down gently fan them back to life. The cooking should happen in the space of a few minutes, and when done the steak should still be rare on the inside. How much time? This depends upon your fire and your taste.

One of the best tests for doneness of a steak is feel -- Quoting the Joy of Cooking (3rd edition, p. 657): "A raw steak will be squishy and soft. Steaks cooked to rare yield less but remain quite soft. At medium-rare the meat will feel springier with a slight bit of firmness. The meat continues to firm up (and toughen) as it cooks; a well-done steak will feel hard and unyielding." Do keep in mind that your steak, especially if it is thick, will continue to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from the fire. Therefore figure your cooking time accordingly. The Joy also suggests cooking times for steaks straight from the fridge, and says to add or subtract 1 minute per half-inch thickness of steak. If you're using room temperature meat, the meat will cook a few minutes faster.

What to serve your Fiorentina with? In the past people suggested a pat of butter, but the most you'll see today is a lemon wedge. And a tossed green salad, which will nicely complement the meat without impinging upon it the way a salad with tomatoes or other vegetables would. Other possibilities for side dishes include fried potatoes and freshly boiled white (canellini) beans drained well and seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper. And a rich red wine, a Chianti Classico riserva.

Braciole del Vinaio

This Tuscan recipe is simpler than the ingredient list might make you think, and will be quite refreshing on a crisp fall day. To serve 6 you'll need:

For the meat:

6 veal cutlets

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

A drop of Vin Santo (you can use another sweet dessert wine if need be)

For the toasts:

6 slices day-old Tuscan bread

Milk

Flour

Freshly grated Parmigiano

Pepper

A drop of vinsanto

For the mushrooms:

3 ounces (75 g) fresh cultured mushrooms, brushed clean with a cloth and sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 a garlic clove, minced

A drop of vinsanto

Dip the slices of bread in milk, dredge them in flour, and then in grated cheese.

Take a skillet large enough for the meat slices to lie flat, and cook them in the butter, turning them once or twice, salting them to taste, and sprinkling them with a few drops of vinsanto. While the meat is cooking, sauté the bread too, turning it to brown both sides. Sprinkle with a couple of drops of vinsanto.

While all this is going on, heat the oil in a pot, add the mushrooms and garlic, and sauté the mushrooms, adding a few drops of vinsanto once they're cooked. But the slices of toasted bread on the plates, lay the sliced of meat over them, and then the mushrooms.

About Biscotti

Biscotti have taken the world by storm. These subtly sweet, crisp cookies can be found in different countries around the globe, although they can be traced back to Italy as far back as the fourteenth century. In fact it is said Christopher Columbus carried these cookies on his voyages because they were so sturdy, and their dryness prevented the problem of spoilage. The name Biscotti can be translated as twice cooked which indeed describes how these tasty cookies are made. By baking them twice, they lose any excess moisture, which ensures a crisp, dry cookie perfect for dipping. Since biscotti are not very sweet, they are a perfect snack at any time of the day, whether it is enjoyed with a cup of coffee in the morning or dipped into a sweet dessert wine after dinner. 

Biscotti come in a myriad of flavor combinations, chock full of almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, citron, raisins and even chocolate pieces. The traditional favorite biscotti in Italy must be the Biscotti di Prato, which are crisp, dry almond cookies named after the city of Prato and usually served alongside a glass of Vin Santo wine for dipping. Vin Santo is a Tuscan wine ranging from dry to sweet with a golden brown coloring and intensity of flavor that pairs perfectly with the almond wafers. Another popular Italian biscotti are the anise-flavored variety, which seem to have been created to be eaten with a cup of caffelatte, or coffee with steamed milk.

Today, Americans are creating a biscotti renewal, embracing this Italian dessert with such enthusiasm that biscotti can now be found in every coffee shop, bakery and grocery store. There is a variety for every palate, whether it is low in fat or sugar, frosted, full of nuts and dried fruits, or delicately flavored with lemon or spice.

Biscotti can easily be made at home with good results if a few simple tips are followed. They are quickly molded into long logs, which are baked. Then after allowing them to cool for ten to fifteen minutes, they are sliced into wafers, which are returned to the oven to crisp up. Here are a few helpful hints to keep in mind when baking biscotti.

	Mix the dough just until it sticks together. Don’t over mix.
	Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper prevents sticking and makes cleanup much easier.
	Use a sharp, serrated knife to cut the biscotti for their second baking.
	Do not crowd the biscotti slices on the baking sheet for their second baking as they need the hot air to circulate to enable them to crisp up evenly.
	Remember biscotti will continue to crisp up, as they cool, so do not be tempted to over bake to ensure crunchiness.
	Store biscotti in an airtight container. They will keep well for a few weeks.

Pinzimonio

This is more of a suggestion than a recipe; pinzimonio can be, depending upon the occasion, either a vegetable or a tasty antipasto. It's wonderful either way.

Prepare a big bowl of fresh tasty vegetables, cut into strips or pieces (whatever you prefer that doesn't sag, e.g. peppers, cauliflower, artichokes, celery, carrots, etc).

Set cruets of olive oil and vinegar on the table, along with salt & pepper. Prepare small bowls in which to mix up a sauce with the olive oil and vinegar, seasoning to taste. Then dip the veggies in the sauce and eat.

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Last modified: July 29, 2008