Our culinary journey in search of the tastiest regional recipes, arrives today in Tuscany. A land full of history, culture and ancient flavors that date back to the Etruscan period. Tuscan cuisine divides its souls between a noble origin, linked to the traditions of the great aristocratic families, and a peasant woman, full of honest, strong and determined tastes.

Today's dish belongs to the poor tradition and will make us take a long jump into the past.

Origins that date back to ancient peoples

The Tuscan territory, divided between the sea and the Apennines, owes its ancient origins to the Etruscans. It was this people that gave life to a gastronomic tradition that developed during the whole Renaissance period.

The Etruscans, great experts in agriculture, must have important evolutions in cultivation techniques, such as those of olive trees and vines. They were the ones who understood that the grapes had to be cultivated by fixing them up high and were the first to prune the vines. From their skill in this field and in particular in the selection of grapes, comes the prized Tuscan wine, an excellent product found on tables throughout Italy.

The product that contains millennia of Tuscan dairy tradition

Another fundamental activity in the life of the Etruscans was sheep farming. It was practiced on the land still used today by modern shepherds, where the remains of the ancient civilization are often found. The art of caesification - which is the basis of the production of Tuscan pecorino DOP - was increased and perfected to meet the need to preserve milk for long periods and produce large cheeses that could feed families throughout the year.

Today the Tuscan pecorino PDO, is still produced exclusively with sheep's milk reared in the cheese production areas. Even the cylindrical shape is a legacy of the past, but the dimensions have been reduced. The color of the pasta ranges from white to straw yellow and is characterized by a fragrant and intense aroma and taste, with a sweet taste that never reaches the spicy.

Smells and aromas that enrich the recipes

But the Etruscans, in addition to agriculture and caesification, were also profound connoisseurs of vegetables, aromatic herbs and all their uses in cooking and medicine. Secrets and recipes, handed down from family to family, enrich Tuscan cuisine for generations.

Among the aromatic herbs we have chosen for our recipe the parsley, with a pungent and slightly bitter taste; the basil, fragrant and intense; sage, with warm and penetrating notes and mint, fresh and spicy.

And now all in the kitchen and let's enjoy this journey through time!

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS

400 g Antonio Amato Vermicelli

1 boiled egg

80 g grated pecorino cheese

4 cloves garlic

30 leaves of mint

20 g basil

parsley to taste

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Antonio Amato extra virgin olive oil to taste

DIRECTIONS

To prepare the sauce, start by finely chopping the boiled egg with the garlic cloves, parsley, mint and basil. Add the oil flush until a fairly fluid mixture is obtained. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour a little cooking water to mix it well.

Boil the Antonio Amato Vermicelli in plenty of salted water and drain.

Season the pasta with the sauce and serve with a generous sprinkling of grated pecorino cheese.

The dish is ready to be eaten!

Serve it hot and complete the garnish with q. b. of chopped hard-boiled egg yolk.