Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life~Anna Akhmatova, poet
Imagine Blue skies, rolling hills, all brushed with golden sunshine. We had the cutest red fiat with the top was down. It was like we had driven right into a postcard. One minute we were zooming down a winding road only to end up in the middle of a sunflower field. We had to stop! What an awesome picture that was going to be. We stopped grabbed the picture quickly for fear we might get shot for being on somebody’s property. Being from the US this is the first thing that came to our minds. In the distance, we could see a truck coming towards us from down from the other end of the road. We were nervous as we headed on our way but we had to go the direction of the oncoming truck. As we approached one another, we were expecting a few bad words and hand signs in Italian but instead, we got a smile and a wave! All we got was a friendly greeting. We roared with laughter once we knew we were in the clear! As we continued down the road we ended up in the middle of a grape vineyard. Almost the same story. But we got an epic pic with the grapes also.
Nice and Relaxing waiting for our wine
As we continued through the countryside, we kept passing homes that had signs that read “Ring Bell for tasting”. What? You can just drive up and ring a bell and taste wine?! Remember when I said it felt like we had driven into a postcard, imagine the song That’s Amore’ coming from the clouds like in the movies, driving the countryside and stopping here and there ringing the bell. The owners would greet us on the porch, tell us how many hundreds of years these particular grapes have been used in the wine we were tasting. They allowed us to sit out and enjoy the breathtaking vineyard and we would then purchase a souvenir before heading out again on the road. It was one of those lifetime experiences never to be forgotten. We had worked up such an appetite we headed to Montalcino for some food. We stopped in this cute little place called Enoteca Bacchus.
Tuscan Bread Stew….it doesn’t look so good but it was Very Good.
I had the Special of the day. I had this bread stew that since I have dreamed of having again. I’ve never seen a recipe like it here in the United States. But since beginning the Shelter in Place order during this Coronavirus Pandemic, I keep thinking of all those in Italy and how they have been quarantined for so long. Since we can’t travel right now, I have been reminiscing about this trip. Then I wanted the stew. I searched all over Pinterest and just couldn’t find anything that looked like it. So I reached out to Chef, Jessica Annuziata of Eat Sip Wander. We discussed ingredients that I remembered could have been in it and she called her family in Itlay and described the dish I was searching for. They knew exactly what it was……Tuscan Bread Stew. Like most family recipes it didn’t come with measurements. Just a listing of what the ingredients were and just throw in a little of this and that. I’m sure they don’t follow a recipe there, mama’s just know how to do it. So from the list, Jessica gave me I tried to make a recipe. It turned out DELICIOUS! I only had 5 small potatoes, so I needed more. It made enough for four of us to eat but we all would have loved more! It was a rare occasion that everyone cleaned their plates or bowls for that matter.
I am not a chef, that being said, bear with me……..
Inspiration and Ingredients from EAT SIP WANDER
TUSCAN BREAD STEW
Ingredients :
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 cup of pancetta
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 3 sundried tomato halves chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups of potatoes
- 1 (15 oz)can of cannelloni beans (drained)
- 1 cups of Kale/Spinach/escarole cut into pieces (cook on side)
- cubed Italian bread chunks for the bottom of the bowl
- Parmesan cheese sprinkles to top
Spice mix
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- sea salt to taste (pancetta does add some salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- cubed Italian bread chunks for the bottom of the bowl
- Parmesan cheese sprinkles to top
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or large pot add some olive oil and the diced onions, carrots, celery and pancetta. Saute’ over medium heat for 5-7 mins.
- Then add the garlic and tomatoes and saute’ for one minute.
- Add the potatoes and chicken stock.
- In the meantime, boil the Kale, Spinach, and Escarole (any or all)
- Then add the beans and Kale, Spinach and Escarole and let it all cook on low heat for 30 mins.
- Add the bread and stir well into the soup
- Serve and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on the top
- Enjoy
I hope you enjoyed this little escape to Tuscany. As we are home sheltered in place we look to those in Italy on what the next steps may be in this pandemic. Dreaming of the day we can return to Italy to enjoy their beautiful people, their countryside, their wine, and their delicious food.