Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

What a delicious dish perfect for a lighter meal.

Spaghetti con Cozze

Spaghetti with Mussels

Serves 4 as an Appetizer

3 quarts water

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt, plus more to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely sliced garlic

5 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 pounds of Mussels, cleaned. (beard them just before cooking.)

5 tablespoons white wine

1/2 pound plum tomatoes, chopped

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 pound spaghetti

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt.

In a large saute pan, place the olive oil, thyme, garlic, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the parsley, the red pepper flakes and mussels. Heat over medium. When the mussel shells open and the garlic colors, after about 5 minutes, add the white wine and let it reduce completely, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and black pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the spaghetti to the boiling water. When it is very firm, drain it , add it to the sauce and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes, until al dente. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of parsley and serve.

Daily Diary Excerpt

Snack time! If you had the pleasure of dining at Coco Pazzo then you may have tried this before. Delicious!

SOPPRESSATA DI POLPO CON SALSA DI CAPPERI ED OLIVE

Baby Octopus Salami with Caper and Olive Sauce

I first made this dish when I was at Coco Pazzo. I’d just come back from a vacation in Italy, where I’d had a similar dish at my friend Lorenzo’s restaurant. Walter, my sous chef, and I came up with our own version. I especially like it in the afternoon as a “lite” snack.

Serves 8-10

2 (1-pound) baby octopus, cleaned*

1 large red onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 stalks celery

2 carrots

1 sprig each fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil

8 cups well-washed arugula

Caper and Olive Sauce (recipe follows)

If you are using regular octopus, freeze it overnight, then defrost it before you start to cook. That will help tenderize the meat.

The day before you want to serve the soppressata, fill a large pot with water and add the octopus, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and herbs. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for approximately 1 hour, until the octopus is tender, not chewy.

* NOTE: Most good fishmongers will sell octopus already cleaned, but if you want to try cleaning the octopus yourself, start by locating the valve (it almost looks like an eye) on the underbelly. Remove it with a sharp knife. Make a slit under the eyes and cut them out of the head. Use that opening to turn the octopus head inside out. Scrape off the brains and reverse the head to right side out. Rinse the octopus well. If you don’t want your hands to smell, I suggest wearing surgical gloves to clean the octopus. Otherwise, you can rub your hands with lemon after you’re done cleaning up.

For the next step, you’ll need two 9-inch loaf pans or 2 small, deep containers, one of which fits exactly into the second.

Drain the octopus and place it immediately in one of the containers. Make sure all the tentacles are inside, and force the second container on top of the octopus. Squeeze down as hard as possible so you are compressing the octopus into a small block.

Tape the 2 pans together with heavy-duty packing tape. Set the pans on a counter top and weigh them down with something very heavy. Once the octopus has cooled, after 1 or 2 hours, place the pans in the refrigerator, still weighted, overnight.

When you are ready to eat, remove the tape from the 2 pans. Insert a knife inside the rim of the top pan and run it around the edge to loosen the soppressata. Turn the inside of the pan up-side down and bang it on the counter. It might take 2 or 3 tries, but eventually, the soppressata will pop out.

Arrange the arugula on individual plates. With a very sharp knife, cut slices of the soppressata as thin as possible. Lay 3 or 4 pieces on top of the salad and drizzle each serving with the caper and olive sauce.

NOTE: There are a few different types of soppressata in Italy. One, found in both Emilia-Romagna in the north, and Puglia and Basilicata in the south, is a stuffed sausage made with cut instead of ground meat. It is aged, not cooked. Before machines, it took two people to make this type of soppressata, one to hold the sausage casing and one to stuff it with meat. The sausage had to be packed in tight--soppressata means super-pressed--to eliminate pockets of air where bacteria could grow.

In Tuscany, soppressata is a cross between paté and salami, made from all the poorest cuts of the pig: the head, ears, nose, cheeks, hooves, knuckles, and skin. They are first cooked, then either stuffed into a casing and cooked again, or stuffed into the skin from the head of the pig and cooked. When a butcher wants his clients to know he’s got soppressata, he just leaves the pig’s head on the counter and sells the “salami” by the slice. It goes in a flash.

SALSA DI CAPPERI ED OLIVE

Caper and Olive Sauce

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons pitted and chopped imported black olives

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 cup roughly chopped plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Put the capers, olives, red pepper flakes, oregano, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and basil in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the vinegars, red wine, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and olive oil. Stir to combine.

BASIL: There’s more to basil than pesto: It was sacred to the Greeks, who called it “The King”; it was used as an embalming agent in ancient Egypt and to ward off dragons in medieval Europe. I think basil is best fresh, or cooked as little as possible. You can eat the whole leaves in a salad or with tomatoes. I love basil with lobster or a delicate white fish such as bass. Basil is easy to grow at home on a windowsill with lots of light. Please don’t use dried basil.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

TORTA DI MELE CON SALSA DI SULTANA
Apple Cake with Raisin Sauce

Serves 6-8

1 Stick (1/2 cup) sweet butter
1 cup sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2-1 cup milk2 pounds Golden Delicious or Rome apples, cored, peeled, and sliced (squeeze lemon over the cut apples to keep them from turning brown)
Salsa di Sultana (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350०. Grease the 9-inch cake pan.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Add the lemon rind and blend. Add the vanilla and eggs and blend well. Add the flour and baking powder and 1/2 cup of the milk. If the batter is too sticky, add more milk, a little bit at a time. It should be like a thick cake batter. Fold in the apples, reserving a large handful to arrange on the top of the cake, and pour the batter into the cake pan. Arrange the remaining apples on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cut in slices and spoon the sauce over each slice.

SALSA DI SULTANA
Raisin Sauce

1 cup milk
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons white raisins, soaked in warm, sweet white wine such as Marsala or Vin Santo for an hour
3 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts

Put the milk in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla until the yolks turn lemony yellow, and pour into the top of a double boiler. Add the boiled milk, beating continuously until the mixture thickens. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Before serving, squeeze out the raisins and add them to the sauce. Then add the walnuts. Mix, and spoon over the apple cake.

Daily Diary Entry

Trota Arrosto con Rosmarino
Roast Trout with Rosemary
serves 4

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 (1 lb) whole trout, cleaned, heads and tails left on
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
8 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped, chopped fine
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, plus 3 whole cloves peeled.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges
1/2 cup white wine
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Salt and pepper the cavities of the trout. Mix together the parsley, the rosemary, and the chopped garlic, then rub the mixture into the flesh of the fish (not on the scale side.)
Place the olive oil and whole garlic cloves in a roasting pan and add the trout, turning them once to coat both sides in the olive oil. Bake the fish for 15 minutes. The trout goes from rare to well done in a matter of minutes. To check if the fish is the temperature you prefer, after the first 15 minutes of cooking time, cut a small slit near the spine of the fish. Douse the fish with the lemon juice and wine and continue baking for another 3 to 8 minutes. Remove the trout and serve it with lemon wedges.

Daily Diary Excerpt

Today's dish is perfect for a rainy day.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Bread and Tomato Soup

This is an extremely thick soup. You can add more water to make the dish soupier if you like.

serves 4-6

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, white part only, washed well and chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (if you have time) and chopped

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups cubed day old bread

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Place 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the leek, onion and garlic in a large pot and heat over medium. When the mixture starts to color, after 6 to 7 minutes, add the wine, and let it reduce completely, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add 1/4 cup of the basil, the tomatoes, and the water. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the bread, and stir occasionally for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes. Then add the remaining 1/4 cup basil, and cook for a final 10 minutes. The soup is ready and will be very thick.

Pour it into individual bowls and top each serving with a tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the cheese.

Daily Diary Excerpt

Today's dish is perfect for a rainy day.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Bread and Tomato Soup

This is an extremely thick soup. You can add more water to make the dish soupier if you like.

serves 4-6

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, white part only, washed well and chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (if you have time) and chopped

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups cubed day old bread

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Place 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the leek, onion and garlic in a large pot and heat over medium. When the mixture starts to color, after 6 to 7 minutes, add the wine, and let it reduce completely, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add 1/4 cup of the basil, the tomatoes, and the water. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the bread, and stir occasionally for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes. Then add the remaining 1/4 cup basil, and cook for a final 10 minutes. The soup is ready and will be very thick.

Pour it into individual bowls and top each serving with a tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the cheese.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a story from Cesare's childhood in which he tells of a particular fishing trip with his father that goes slightly awry. Read this story to get a glimpse of how Cesare and his father would be sneaky while on their family outings.

Pescando Le Trote

Il Lunedi, Monday, not Sunday, was always the day of rest for our family. We would close Vipore and set out on some adventure – a picnic on the beach in Viareggio, a drive to Torre del Lago, or an all-day game of briscola at Uncle Segio’s. In early and late summer, my favorite Mondays were always trips to the mountains to buy porcini. In the old days, we’d all go, the staff form Vipore, Mama, Papa, me, and always Mariano, the husband of our pasta cook. Mama insisted on Mariano because she was a picky eater. Mariano, on the other hand, was skinny but ate for two, so with him at her side, Mama could always clean her plate.

Usually, for porcini we went to Abetone, but one June I remember, Papa proposed a trip to Lucchio, a hilltop city famous for hens born with small sacks under their backsides. (It was said that they used the sacks to store their eggs so they wouldn’t roll downhill.) Papa wasn’t interested in the hens; he wanted to stop in Lucchio to fish in the Lima River, which in summer brims with trout. The porcini, he promised, we’d buy on the way home.

We got to the Lima early, around 10am. Some of our group went upstream, some down. I went with Papa in the car because he said he knew of a great spot. But after a hour, I began to despair. We hadn’t caught a single fish. Without a word, Papa motioned to me to join him in the car. In a few minutes, I understood. His “great spot” was a trout farm. The owner was wizened and weather-beaten, like a fish who’d seen one too many battles. Her eyes looked out in different directions, and she tried to sell us all the nicest trout, plump, with shiny scales. But Papa insisted on at least half ugly ones. Scrawny and ugly, too, he said magre e brutte, anche, and picked out twelve.

By the tie we reached Da Beppe, the restaurant where we’d arranged to meet for lunch, Mama, Adele, Camay, Onelia, and Mariano were already seated. I paraded our “catch” around the table; we had more than their trout combined. Everyone was impressed and even a little envious. I felt as proud as if I’d actually caught the fish myself.

Until, that is, the signora from the trout farm appeared, carrying a crate of trout for Da Beppe. Spotting papa across the room, she waved and called out, “Eh, signore, ci sono alter brutte, vuole guare?” “I’ve got some more ugly ones, wanna have a look” Mariano and Camay started in on us. Mama just shook her head. I was mortified, but not Papa. He laughed, because he almost got away with it . He even paid for everyone’s lunch. “Aspettate,” “Just wait,” he warned, indicating he’d get his revenge.

The bad new was that by the time we got to the porcini stand, the only ones left were as shriveled and unsightly as the trout we’d bought. That did make Papa mad. It meant he had to drive back the next day for some good ones.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

If you are bored of the usual snacks, this Pasta Frilla featured in today's recipe is a great way to enjoy something new!

Pasta Frilla - Pastry Dough

1 stick (1/2 cup) sweet butter, cubed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

dried beans or pie weights

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg mixture and work into a smooth dough. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 3/4 of an hour before using.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a ten inch circle, 1/8 of an inch thick. Transfer the pastry into a 9 inch pie plate and shape to fit. Leave an inch overhang and fold it double around the edge to form a rim. Puncture the dough several times with the tines of a fork.

Completely cover the dough, including the rim, with a sheet of aluminum foil. Fill the pan of dried beans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, discard the beans, and take off the foil. If the shell is too white return it to the oven, uncovered, for a few minutes. Remove it and let it cool.

ENJOY!

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Torta con Frutti Bosco, which is a sweet mixed berry tart. This refreshing tart of cream and berries is a cool treat on a warm summer's day. So try this delicious dessert today, and give any meal a fantastic Italian ending!

Torta con Frutti di Bosco

Mixed Berry Tart

(SERVES 6 – 8)

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 egg yolks

2 2/3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 ½ - 4 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus additional for dusting

1 Pastry Crust

2 tablespoons Cointreau

½ cup fresh blackberries

½ cup fresh blueberries

½ cup fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, bring the milk and lemon zest to a low boil. Remove the pan from the heat. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar together until pale yellow. Continue beating, adding the flour, vanilla, and hot milk. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and heat over medium, stirring, until it thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. It will be the consistency of yogurt. Spoon the warm pastry cream into a bowl, drape it with plastic wrap so that no air is trapped between the wrap and the cream, and refrigerate until just chilled. The cream will be very stiff.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whip the heavy cream to form stiff peaks, and add the 2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar. Gently incorporate the whipped cream, a tablespoon at a time, into the chilled pastry cream, mixing well. Add only as much whipped cream as needed. The whipped cream/pastry cream mixture should be stiff, not runny. Spread it evenly over the cooled piecrust. Splash the Cointreau over the berries and mix. Arrange the berries in a pattern on the cream filling, or place them randomly. Dust with additional confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Manzo Cotto al Vapore di Pomodoro, which is a Filet Mignon baked over tomatoes. This truly Tuscan dish is a hearty meal that is sure to bring the flavors of Italy to your cucina!

Manzo Cotto al Vapore di Pomodoro

Filet Mignon Baked Over Tomatoes

(SERVES 4)

4 medium, ripe tomatoes

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 pinches of sweet paprika

4 pinches of hot paprika

2 shallots, chopped fine

8 cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin

¾ cup loosely packed fresh basil

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

4 (6-ounce) filet mignons strip steaks

4 tablespoons Arometo sauce

Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Slice the tomatoes in half and place them, cut side up, in a deep, ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle them with the salt, paprikas, chopped shallots, and the mushrooms. Top with the basil (reserve a few leaves for the top of the steaks).

Salt and pepper the steaks and rub one side with the Arometo sauce. Place the steaks, sauced side down, on top of the tomatoes and garnish them with the reserved basil leaves. Seal the skillet with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. If you want, it makes a nice presentation to open the foil at the table.

Transfer the steaks and tomatoes to a plate and spoon the juices from the skillet over them. If you want, drizzle a touch of olive oil on top and serve. You can make a bed of tomatoes and cook a larger steak on top, too.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Risotto con Pesto, Funghi, e Gamberi, which is a tasty dish of Pesto Risottoe with Mushrooms and Shrimp. This truly Italian dish is a delicious way to try your hand at a risotto, and bring the flavors of Tuscany to your table.

Risotto con Pesto, Funghi, e Gamberi

Pesto Risotto with Mushrooms and Shrimp

(SERVES 4 AS AN APPETIZER)

3 tablespoons chopped red onion

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 ¼ cups Arborio rice

¾ cup white wine

4 cups simmering homemade fish or vegetable stock

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 cup cleaned, mixed mushrooms (chanterelles, shiitake, cremini)

1 dozen medium raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned

Salt to taste

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup Pesto alla Cesare, more to taste (recipe follows)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion in ¼ cup of the olive oil over high heat until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat. Cook 2 minutes more, until the rice is lightly toasted. Remove from the heat and add ¼ cup of the white wine, then return the rice to the heart and let the wine reduce, about 1 minute. Add the simmering stock and continue cooking at a lively boil over high heat.

In a small sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil with 1 clove of the crushed garlic. Discard the garlic after 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté over high, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the rice and stir. Over high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil in the sauté pan with the remaining 2 crushed garlic cloves. Discard the garlic after 1 minute. Add the shrimp, salt, pepper, and the remaining ½ cup of wine (be careful, it will flame up). Cook for 2 minutes, then add to the rice mixture.

It will take about 15 minutes from the time the liquid is added for the rice to cook al dente. Taste it. If after 15 minutes it is still too hard, add a little more broth or water and continue cooking. The risotto should be slightly soupy and the rice firm to the bite. Add salt and pepper to taste. When it has reached this stage, remove the rice from the heat, add the pesto and chopped basil, stir well, and serve. (If you pour a thin layer of oil over the unused pesto, it will keep very well in the refrigerator for a week. You can use the leftover pesto to make pasta, drizzled over toasted Tuscan bread, or as an addition to vinaigrette to give your salad a light, basil taste.)

Pesto alla Cesare

Cesare’s Pesto

(SERVES 6)

2 cups fresh basil leaves

½ cup fresh Italian parsley

¼ cup fresh chervil (or use all parsley)

1 – 1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons pine nuts

4 -5 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

5 anchovies, preserved in salt or olive oil (optional)

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese

Put the basil, parsley, chervil (if you don’t use chervil, use more parsley), olive oil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and the anchovies in a food processor. Blend coarsely, stopping form time to time to scrape down the sides. When the ingredients are well blended, pour them into a bowl and add the grated cheese. (If combining the pesto with pasta, add a tablespoon of the cooking water to the pesto to thin it out. This is unnecessary with risotto.)

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is an anecdote telling of how Cesare came to love and use tarragon in his food. This particular story shows that you might end up really liking something that might not have been appealing to you at first - so try a new herb in your cooking tonight!

Tarragon

The Italian word for tarragon is dragoncello. I guess it’s a reference to the fact that a dragon has a split tongue, just like the tarragon leaf. When I first discovered tarragon, I didn’t like it. The aniselike flavor was overpowering, plus, I thought it was French. But as I started learning more about herbs, I discovered that the cooking of Siena relies heavily on tarragon, which changed everything for me. I embraced it. Now I use tarragon either very sparingly, or in large quantities.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Bruschetta. This dish is a perfect way to start off any meal, as it offers a delightful taste of the flavors a Tuscan meal has to offer.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta

If you don’t have a lot of fresh herbs, you can just use additional basil here; but the more herbs, the better.

(SERVES 4)

1 pound plum tomatoes, cored ad quartered

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 scallion, sliced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus 4 whole basil leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

4 slices Tuscan bread, toasted

Place half of the tomatoes, the olive oil, garlic, scallion, red pepper flakes, salt, and herbs in a food processor. Pulse it on and off to make a sauce. It should be much chunkier than a puree. Add the remaining tomatoes and pulse a few more times. There should still be bite-size pieces of tomato visible. Add the vinegars and stir.

You can serve the bruschetta mixture in a bowl and allow your guests to make their own, or you can spoon the mixture onto the toast, garnish with the remaining basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Crostini di Pomodoro, which is Tomato Toasts. This dish has become a staple in Tuscan food, and will please everyone at your table. Try this Tuscan treat in your very own cucina tonight!

Crostini di Pomodoro

Tomato Toasts

(SERVES 4)

2 cups seeded and chopped plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped shallot or Vidalia onion

¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (you can also use red wine vinegar, for a very different taste)

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons salt

4 slices of Tuscan bread

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, and basil. Add all the other ingredients except the bread, and mix well.

Toast the bread until golden brown. Spoon the tomato mixture on top of the toast and serve immediately.