GUARDIANS OF TUSCANY & UMBRIA, "I CIPRESSI"

Tall, dark, and handsome, there’s no denying the magnificent ”i cipressi”, (the cypress trees) ,of Italy.  Deeply rooted and standing strong, they seem to have seen it all, and some of them have.  The cypress tree can live up to 2,000 years and is originally native to Persia, but were brought to Italy by the ancient and mysterious Etruscans.  Why though, was it so important to take something so far away from their home that wasn’t even edible?

Magic. Tree worship was common in ancient times as many tribes including Druids and Celts believed trees held spirits, benefic or malevolent.  The Etruscans believed the cypress harbored supernatural powers mainly because of their lifespan and the fact that they didn’t lose their leaves or die in cold weather. They were symbols of strength and protection.  Cypress wood was used to build coffins in Egypt and the Middle East and its essential oils were considered extremely powerful, and used for protection and longevity. Considered the guardians of the spirit world, they were planted wherever Etruscans were buried, and a handful of cypress wood thrown on the grave of a loved was said to ensure a happy afterlife. Now planted all over Italy as wind breakers along property lines and decoration around houses, the cypress has taken on a useful role outside of the mystical realm, but somehow they still give off that feeling.

While cypress trees can be found all over the Mediterranean, a drive through the valley known as the Val d’Orcia is the place to experience their real power. For one of the most spectacular scenic drives in Umbria, head south from Siena and just past the medieval city of Pienza.  You can’t miss the hilltop clusters of cypress perfectly sprinkled across the landscape, every twisting turn a National Geographic worthy photo.

A favorite spot to stop and picnic on long journeys, bring a blanket, a bottle of wine, fresh bread and some snacks, and take it all in. Just remember to leave a little something beneath the sacred cypress as a gift to its spirit.  It’s watching over you ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

TORTA DI CECI

(CHICKPEA CAKE)

During my early visits to Italy, I often showed up in the country with pennies to my name and worked as a starving artist, literally.  Being broke, but young and full of hope, I didn’t care what I had to eat to survive, as long as I could stay in Italy! I didn’t get to dine in the fancy restaurants that Tuscan dreams are made of. (Well, until I got a boyfriend…but that’s another story!). 

I was living in Nozzano Castello, a tiny hamlet just a few miles outside of the walled city of Lucca. Each morning, the panettiere, (baker), came into the village at 7 am, barely making it through the serpentine streets in his little truck, his focaccia still warm from the wood oven.  I waited every morning for him and on the days I missed him, let's just say I was pretty miserable.   For weeks, focaccia with a thin slice of prosciutto was my staple for breakfast.  As I am after all still an American, and even after all of the years I have spent in Italy, I just can’t adopt the cappuccino and cornetto sweet breakfast. But then one day, no focaccia was left on his truck and I had to buy the next cheapest thing, and it was lucky for me, because it was then that I discovered torta di ceci!  

Torta di ceci is a warm flatbread made of chickpea flour, and sprinkled with black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a snack popular around the Tuscan Coast.  To make a meal out of it, it is served on a fresh baguette or between focaccia, a very filling and true “la cucina povera”. Marinated or grilled eggplant is sometimes added in summer.  

This turned out to be my most delicious, (and cheap), culinary find which carried me through my days spent sitting under the hot, Tuscan sun, painting ceramics in the piazzas, and I was no longer a "starving" artist.  The recipe below is the closest I have ever had to the one the old man made from his panificio in Nozzano Castello, and comes from the lovely Emiko Davies’ cookbook, “Florentine”.  

Serve torta di ceci on its own, topped with fresh prosciutto, or go all out and enjoy it as a panino.  Enjoy!

*Purchase Florentine by Emiko Davies here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1743790031?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=1743790031&linkCode=shr&tag=emikdavi-20&linkId=IJ35OJQTIOITNEE6

*You will need a scorching hot oven and a pizza pan that is as wide as will fit in your oven.

◾1 part chickpea flour

◾3 parts water

◾pinch of salt

◾1 tbs olive oil, plus more for greasing

 To serve:

◾freshly ground black pepper

◾extra Virgin olive oil

 

Directions:

Combine the flour and water together bit by bit to avoid creating lumps in the batter. When this is blended together and perfectly smooth, add the salt and olive oil to combine. Let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to as high as you can, around 250°C (480°F).

Oil a pizza tray with olive oil and pour in the batter, turning to cover the surface completely. It should be about 3mm thick but not more. Bake in hot oven until golden brown and crispy on top.

Serve hot with freshly ground black pepper and a beautiful, green extra virgin olive oil from the Etruscan coast.

 

 Longing for Tuscany?
Join us July 2 - 9, 2017 for our tour through Tuscany & Umbria.
  Prices just reduced to $2,800 per person

 Rate includes 4 lunches, all dinners, wine with each meal, 7 nights accommodation at Hotel Villa Marsili in Cortona, transportation and transfers, taxes, gratuities, entrance fees to excursions and activities outlined in tour, and Vespa rental.
**** Airfare and travel insurance not included.  

Visit www.anticitaliantravel.com for more details.

 

Chestnut Crepes & La Befana

 

 

Buona Befana!

 

 

 

Christmas and New Year's Eve may be old news as of this morning, but the Italians aren't finished celebrating just yet.  There is one more night of fun lined up for the holidays, La Befana.
Befana is celebrated on January 6 for the Epiphany, the Christian feast day that commemorates the visitation of the three biblical wise men to the baby Jesus.  According to the legend, the three wise men were following the star to find the baby Jesus and knocked on her door in search of more information.  The wise men asked her to join them on their search but she refused, as she said she was too busy sweeping to help them. (This is symbolic of sweeping away the past in the new year).  Later regretting her decision, she ran out into the dark of the night with a bag of sweets distributing them to every child, being sure not to miss a single one in case it were the baby Jesus.  From that night on, it is said she spends the evening of  January 5, an unrested soul, flying on her broomstick bringing presents to children in search of Jesus.  

Origins of La Befana:

It is thought that the name  Befana derives from Epiphany, (in Italian is Epifania), a word with Greek origins that means manifestation of the divinity. The Epiphany is the last feast of Christmas time, and is said to take away all of the festivities, as it is stated in a little phrase they say in Italy, "L’Epifania tutte le feste si porta via“.  As with most western holidays, Befana is rooted in Paganism. In the freezing cold of winter, the land is barren and the earth is dying, but there is the hope of spring bringing a rebirth of all things. Many rituals to welcome winter spirits were carried out during this time to ensure bountiful crops.

 

The ancient Romans adopted many Pagan rituals and believed that during these dark, cold days, female creatures, (not very beautiful in the minds of the Romans),  flew over the fields blessing the future harvest. A popular ritual still going strong in Tuscany is to burn a puppet of La Befana inside of the home to represent the end of the year. The left over coal is put in the children's shoes along with sweets as memory of the year gone by. It  is customary to leave old Befana a little something for her travels, and in our family we set out a glass of anisette liquor and some biscotti. 

 

 

 

 

 

  "Necci",  Tuscan Chestnut Crepes with Sweet Ricotta

 

 

                                                           

 

In late fall, and throughout the winter, the smoky aroma of roasted chestnuts is hard to escape in Italy, and who would want to?! Outdoor stalls sell paper cones of these warm treats to be enjoyed during the nightly stroll known as "passagiata".  Another chestnut treat called Necci, popular in Tuscany, is made using chestnut flour, and is great for breakfast or dessert, with a cappuccino or a glass of Vin Santo!  Buon appetito! 

 

1 cup chestnut flour, sifted           
2 extra-large eggs         
1 1/4 cups milk         
2 cups fresh sheep's or cow's milk ricotta cheese 
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt          
1/2 cup chestnut or orange blossom honey           
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Place flour in a medium size bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add half of the milk and whisk until smooth. Add remaining milk and whisk until smooth; let batter stand 15 minutes.        

Meanwhile, place ricotta in a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 cup honey, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.         

Heat a 6-to-8-inch cast-iron skillet or crepe pan over medium heat; brush pan with enough olive oil to coat. Add 2 tablespoons batter to pan and tilt until evenly coated. Cook until crepe becomes firm on the bottom and begins curling at the edges, about 1 minute. Turn and cook until opposite side is cooked through. Repeat process with remaining batter, stacking crepes on top of one another as you cook.         

To serve, place two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in the center of each crepe. Fold in half and drizzle with remaining honey; serve warm.


Wishing you wake to something sweet on January 6th!
Buona Befana!

Angela

Want to experience more treasures of Tuscany? Space still available for our tour July 2-9, 2017 

 

Visit www.anticoartisanaltravel.com

or call Angela at (443) 440-0473 to book your trip today!