True Tuscan Kitchen Classics: Mixed Cold Cuts with Bruschetta and Crostini
A typical appetizer combo: Affetatti misti with Bruschetta and Crostini
#ChiantiClassicoJoyOfLife
In my first blog post, themed #JoyOfLifeChiantiClassico, I showed you my recipes for salt-free Pane Toscano. This bread is also the base for lots of other classic Tuscan dishes, many of which came about because people wanted to make good use of bread that wasn't super fresh anymore. Think of Italian kitchen classics like crostini and bruschetta, for example.
Appetizer & Aperitivo: Crispy Pane Toscano with those special touches
The perfect base for crostini or bruschetta is Pane Toscano that's a day or two old. You slice it up, toast or grill it quickly until it's nice and crispy. Then you top or spread it with all sorts of things – your imagination is pretty much the only limit! The ultimate Italian classic is Bruschetta al pomodoro – that's toasted bread with diced tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and a hint of garlic. Another perfect appetizer you'll often find on menus in Tuscany is Fettunta. It's simply toasted bread with olive oil and garlic. Fettunta is especially popular in autumn, perfect for tasting fresh olive oil.
For Crostini alla Toscana, things get a bit more savory on top: a sometimes still-warm chicken liver pâté is spread onto the toasted bread – it's absolutely divine!
Legumes are super typical in Tuscan cooking and are used in all sorts of ways, from beans to peas to chickpeas. My favorite recipe is a version with beans and sage.
Affettati misti
It's a classic 'Antipasto' and often kicks off a great meal.
I've gathered all my favorite recipes for you: Bruschetta, Crostini alla Toscana (that's with sage and beans), an olive tapenade made from finely chopped olives, and a warm crostini topping with mozzarella and Acciughe (pronounced: at-choo-geh) – those are small anchovies preserved in oil or salt.
Before the pasta, there's already pure delight…
Bruschette and Crostini often come to the table with 'affettati misti' – that's a mix of different prosciuttos and salamis. You'll often find cheese and sometimes pickled veggies served alongside them. And, of course, a glass of wine is a must! All of this is 'Antipasto' – which simply means 'before the pasta' when you translate it. If you serve a mixed appetizer platter like this at a Tuscan evening, you've already won everyone over. So, 'Buon appetito, my dears!'