|  Food
and wine
Also with regard to its gastronomy, the northern part of
Tuscany has been influenced by the neighbouring regions,
with the introduction of a number of dishes that have further
enriched its excellent cuisine of peasant origin. In particular,
in the Lunigiana there are reminders of Liguria, with ample
use being made of pesto. The Garfagnana is noted for the
remarkable quality of some its local products, especially
mushrooms. While the typical dishes of the Versilia are served
on the coast, in the Apuan Alps cured pork products are making
a comeback: these include lard, which has now become Vegetable
soup, a culinary vogue.
The flavours of the Apennines
The cuisine of the Lunigiana is mainly based local produce:
minestrone alia lunigianese, tortelli (a kind of ravioli),
cavolo con lefette (cabbage with toasted bread), cibreo di
rigaglie (chicken giblets with egg and lemon sauce), torta
d'erbe (chard pie) and small fo-caccie such as the panigacci.
That gastronomic traditions migrate is shown by the bomba
di riso (pigeons with rice), an Emilian dish that has crossed
the Apennines and taken root in a corner of Tuscany that
once belonged to the duchy of Modena. From the market gardens
of Pontremoli and the plain of Massa-Carrara the dish has
been enriched by a new ingredient, chards, which are boiled
and then tossed in the pan with the gravy from the cooked pigeons.
The pigeons are then boned, wrapped in the chards, placed
in a round mould containing the rice and baked in the oven.
A rare local speciality is chestnut soup, made from dried
chestnuts and beans, which are boiled at length in salted
water. Before serving, add rice and chopped lard and herbs
browned in the pan.
The woods of the Garfagnana abound in game, the basis of
many roast dishes typical of the autumn, and mushrooms:/?ora-ni
(boletus), ovoli (royal agaric) and above all the rare and
very tasty spring prugnoli (Tricholoma georgii). In Barga
and elsewhere in the Serchio Valley it's possible to find
white and black truffles. Specialities in this area include
fresh fish with spelt and infarinata, a runny version of
polenta. Maize flour is cooked in abundant salted water,
and beans, pork rind, black cabbage, browned lard, garlic
and herbs are added. It may be eaten at once or, if left
to cool, it will solidify and can then be cut into slices
and fried in oil.
Clams and salt cod
Naturally enough, on the coast near Carrara and in Versilia
most of the dishes are fish-based. In particular, little
clams are served with spaghetti or in soups. Once upon a
time they were collected by people wading waist-deep to and
fro in the sea, dragging a sort of sieve behind them. Salt
cod is a common ingredient in the cuisine of Carrara, where
it is eaten in a soup, alia carrarina (with tomato and
vinegar) or in fritters. To make the latter, leave the
salt cod to soak for two days, then put it on the chopping
board with the skin in contact with the wood and, using
a fork, crumble the fish.
Prepare a batter with ten tablespoons of white flour diluted
with milk to obtain a fairly runny mixture; add two tablespoons
of olive oil, half a glass of dry white wine, an egg, a pinch
of bicarbonate of soda and the crumbled fish. Leave the mixture,
covered with a cloth, to stand for at least three hours,
then fry, placing small spoonfuls in the moderately hot oil,
turning the fritters over so they brown on all sides. Dry
on kitchen paper and serve piping hot, sprinkled with salt
and accompanied by turnips browned in oil.
Finally, mention should be made of the cured pork products
from the Apuan Alps, especially the renowned lard of Colon-nata,
white with just a hint of pale pink, which is left to mature
for eight months in brine and herbs. It should be eaten on
slices of toasted bread or in soups. The lard produced elsewhere
in the area is equally good, as is the particularly tasty
coppa (cured shoulder of pork).
 Wines with a whiff of the sea
In the province of Massa-Carrara, the slopes descending
from the marble quarries to the coast are the domain
of the Candia dei Colli Apuani, with an annual output
of 900 hectolitres. This wine was greatly appreciated
by the poet Giovanni Pascoli, who, while he was teaching
in Massa, waxed lyrical about the daily pleasure of "feeling the sparkling wine dissolve
in the mouth". It's a fairly old-established wine that
was mentioned in writings of 1874; in the course of time
it has acquired its own character that clearly distinguishes
it from the wines produced in the neighbouring areas of Liguria
and Tuscany, although, in common with them, it has a high
percentage of Vermentino grapes. A DOC wine since 1981, it
should be drunk new with vegetable hors d'oeuvres and fish
dishes; the sweetish variety is ideal for accompanying desserts.
There's also a dry type and a vin santo.
The famous testaroli of the Lunigiana
Probably testaroli h the most famous dish of the Lunigiana.
In a large dish prepare a fairly runny batter with flour, water and salt (add
4 glasses of water to V2 kilo of white flour). Place a terracotta baking tray
with a lid on glowing embers, and when hot pour in enough batter to form a layer
of about Vz cm. Cover and leave for 10 minutes, then remove the cooked mixture
from the tray and place on a cloth (a testa-rob of about 40 cm in diameter is
enough for 6 people). When cold, cut into squares or lozenges about 5 cm across;
these are then boiled for 1 minute in boiling salted water. Drain and serve immediately
with pesto or olive oil and grated sheep's milk cheese.
Since 1989, CoUi di Luni
has been the most northerly DOC wine in Tuscany and the most southerly of
the Ligurian ones, since its production zone extends
into both regions. Every year a few dozen hectolitres are
produced in a narrow strip of land between Fosdino-vo,
Aulla and Podenzana, and a similar quantity is made in
Liguria in 14 communes. Here, too, Vermentino is predominant.
The viticulture of this area was mentioned by Pliny the
Elder, while Napoleon's soldiers also waxed enthusiastic
about it. There are three types: Bianco, Vermentino and
Rosso. |
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