In Good Taste: Taste of Tuscany
Traveling by table to central Italy with chef Massimiliano Sarrocchi and his wife, Natasha
Traveling by table to central Italy with chef Massimiliano Sarrocchi and his wife, Natasha
The sun dips across the Sant’ Antimo valley, spilling warm light across vineyards and olive groves. Having returned to their farmhouse villa from a tour of Florence, the Montalcino marketplace, or another delicious day trip, the jovial diners congregate around an alfresco table, sharing wine and accounts of afternoon adventures. Glasses are raised in a toast to their newfound camaraderie and to the aromatic meal that their chef and guide has just delivered. “Salute e cent’anni! Health and 100 years!” Tradition holds an honorary seat at tonight’s supper table.
Since 2001, Charleston restaurateur Massimiliano Sarrocchi and his wife, Natasha, have escorted small groups on culinary tours of his native Italy. Limiting the eight-day trips to 10 to 12 travelers, this cordial couple serves up intimate journeys into the flavors, sights, history, and true personality of the Tuscan region, from unique encounters with artisan bakers and cheesemakers to impromptu wine tastings in underground cellars. This spring, Massi, as most call him, sold his Warren Street trattoria, Pane e Vino, in order to expand the offerings at their tour company, Italy Discovered. For a taste of their travels, we asked the Sarrocchis to prepare a typical Tuscan summer meal using simple, in-season ingredients.
Carpaccio di Zucchine & Panzanella
Carpaccio di Zucchine e Formaggio al Tartufo
- 2 medium, firm zucchini
- Coarse sea salt
- Cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Pecorino with truffles (available at specialty cheese shops)
- Italian parsley, for garnish
Panzanella
- 1/2 lb. three-day-old ciabatta (or other good bread), torn into chunks
- 2-3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- Few leaves of basil, julienned
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 4 firm heirloom tomatoes, quartered
- 4 spring onions, chopped
- 1 unpeeled cucumber, chopped
- Sharp aged pecorino, shaved, for garnish
Wash zucchini and thinly slice lengthwise. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and let rest for 10 minutes. (This draws out excess water.)
Using a dry paper towel, wipe off salt. Arrange zucchini and cherry tomatoes on a serving plate. Drizzle with olive oil (take care not to soak the zucchini, as this will make the vegetable soggy). Season with freshly ground black pepper.
Top zucchini and tomatoes with thin pecorino shavings. Garnish with freshly chopped Italian parsley.
Panzanella
Place bread in large bowl and add enough water to thoroughly moisten (amount will depend on age of bread). Soak for 30 minutes.
Using your hands and working in small batches, squeeze out any excess water from the bread, then transfer it to a separate bowl. Add extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar in small amounts, increasing as needed to taste. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Toss to mix well. Let rest for at least one hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Place bell pepper on baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off skin, remove stem and seeds, and chop.
Toss pepper, tomato, onions, and cucumber with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place seasoned bread in the center of a serving plate. Arrange vegetables around the bread and top with pecorino shavings (as much as desired).
Tagliatelle with wild mushrooms & guanciale
- 1/2 lb. assorted mushrooms
- 1 Tbs. butter
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 2 slices guanciale (cured pork jowl, or substitute pancetta), large dice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 lb. tagliatelle
- Italian parsley, chopped, for garnish
Brush dirt from mushrooms and slice. In medium skillet over medium heat, warm butter with olive oil. Add garlic and guanciale and sauté just until meat turns pink, about one minute. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for about two minutes, stirring constantly. Be sure that the butter and oil do not get too hot and fry, rather than cook, the mushrooms. When mushrooms are almost cooked through, slowly add cream and stir until sauce reaches desiredconsistency. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
In a medium pot over high heat, cook tagliatelle in boiling water until al dente, about two minutes for fresh pasta and seven to eight minutes for dry. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Garnish with parsley and fresh ground pepper. Serve warm.
Lamb Chops with Roasted Spring Vegetables in Chianti Reduction
- 6 spring onions
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 small plum tomato
- 1 bulb fennel, fronds removed
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup Chianti
- 1 tsp. high-quality balsamic vinegar
- 8 (3/4-inch thick) lamb chops, Frenched
Preheat oven to 300°F. Finely chop vegetables. In a medium skillet over medium heat, sauté vegetables and garlic in olive oil for about two minutes. Add salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven to roast vegetables, about five minutes. Return skillet to stove over medium-high heat. Add Chianti, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until wine reduces to desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. In a blender, carefully purée vegetables, wine reduction, and balsamic vinegar to desired consistency (purée should be thick, not liquid).
Raise the oven temperature to 350°F. Rub bottom of iron skillet lightly with olive oil. Season lamb chops with olive oil, salt, and pepper. On stove, heat an iron skillet over high heat. Sear lamb chops for one minute per side. Transfer seared lamb chops to preheated oven to finish cooking, 15 minutes for medium rare.
Spoon puréed vegetables onto plate and arrange chops on top. Serve immediately.
Spinach with Garlic, Raisins, and Pecorina
- 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and stemmed
- 1 Tbs. raisins
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbs. aged pecorino di Pienza, grated
Place spinach in a small metal colander. Fill a slightly larger pot with one to two inches of salted water. Place the colander inside the pot and cover. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and steam spinach until tender, about four to five minutes. Remove spinach from pot.
Place raisins in a bowl of lukewarm water, enough to cover, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse raisins.
In medium pan over medium-high heat, warm garlic and olive oil. Add spinach and sauté for about two minutes. Add raisins, salt, and pepper. Immediately stir in pecorino. Serve warm.
Garbanzo Beans with Rosemary and Garlic
- 15 oz. dried garbanzo beans (or substitute canned and skip soaking step)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 clove garlic
- Pinch crushed red pepper
Soak garbanzo beans in water, enough to cover, overnight.
Drain beans. Transfer to large pot and add enough water to cover. Add salt, olive oil, and one sprig of rosemary and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about one hour (though it could take longer). Drain.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté garlic and second sprig of rosemary. Stir in crushed red pepper and drained garbanzo beans. Remove rosemary sprigs. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
Panna Cotta
- 1 (1/4 oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin
- 2 Tbs. cold water
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup assorted fresh berries
In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand about one minute to soften. Heat gelatin over low heat until dissolved. Remove pan from heat.
In a large saucepan over moderately high heat, bring cream, half-and-half, and sugar just to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin and vanilla. Divide cream mixture among eight half-cup ramekins and cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate, covered, at least four hours or overnight.
Panna cotta may be served in ramekin. To serve on a plate, dip each ramekin into a bowl of hot water for three seconds, taking care not to get cream wet, then run a thin knife around inner edge of each ramekin and invert panna cotta onto small plate. Serve with berries.
