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Tuscan panzanella is a zesty bread salad and summer staple in and around Montefollonico. Usually made with cubes of crusty Italian bread, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers and a simple splash of vinegar and olive oil, is infinitely customizable. Cooks and our nonne add or subtract ingredients to suit their tastes. It’s one of those dishes that never disappoints.To make panzanella at home, be open to experimenting with what is seasonal and fresh at the farmer’s market. Perhaps there are baby zucchini available. Slice them thinly to add to the salad, along with fresh blossoms too. If your garden is full of early radishes, slice those and addRead More →

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Chef Dania Masotti, one of Montefollonico’s most acclaimed and prolific chefs, taught our guests for over fifteen years. Her recipes were easy to replicate in home kitchens thanks to her use of readily available ingredients and her breezy teaching style. We loved following Dania out to her kitchen garden to pick seasonal vegetables to prepare her risotto dell’orto (“from the garden”). Guests report this recipe is their go-to dish for food that tastes fancy without being fussy. Read More →

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Tagliatelle, a Tuscan specialty, is a ribbon-like noodle that's ideal for folding into light, creamy sauces. Fresh asparagus and peas, two of spring's most eagerly awaited vegetables bring a crisp, sweet contrast to the creamy sauce.Briefly blanching the asparagus and peas briefly in boiling water brightens their color and softens them just enough to retain a slight crunch. As the nonne have taught us, make the cream sauce directly in the pan, combining heavy cream with the moist pasta to create a light, silky texture. The vegetables are then folded into the cooked pasta, allowing their flavors to meld with the creamy sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan cheeseRead More →

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Lamb, especially in spring, holds a place of honor in any Tuscan kitchen. It symbolizes renewal and abundance. Here a boned leg of lamb is slow roasted under a coating of rosemary, garlic, and sage—herbs that blanket the Tuscan countryside. Shallots and new potatoes, roasted alongside the lamb, soak up its juices and the aromatic herbs. The lamb juices and some white wine make a sauce in the pan.  This one-pot roast give you time to mingle with guests. It is our tribute to the Tuscan tradition of simple cooking for flavorful results.Read More →

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Dania Masotti, one of Montefollonico's most acclaimed chefs, is a beloved friend of Tuscan Women Cook. She has taught our guests for nearly twenty years. Among her specialties is Baccalà in Guazzetto (Salted Cod in Tomato Sauce), which we have adapted from her classic cookbook La Cucina Toscana della Chiusa. This recipe lets the quality of the ingredients shine. Serve it as a first course or one of an assortment for a traditional Christmas Eve meal, Tuscan-style.Read More →

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Tuscan Women Cook enjoy an evening of merriment and delicious food at Il Botteghino in Torrita di Siena.  Guests have their fill of crisp pizza including pizza tartufo e porcini. Our recipe for Truffle, Portobello and Three Cheese Pizza takes inspiration from the chefs at Il Botteghino for this seasonal crowd favorite. Sautéed portobello mushrooms, resembling the richly flavorful porcini mushrooms used in Tuscany, form a base layer. A mixture of delicate fresh mozzarella and robust Parmesan cheese offset the mushrooms.  Then we tuck truffle slices under more of the cheese. The aroma of this pizza calls everyone to the table.Read More →