Cannellini beans with tomato and herbs

Literally the name means “in the manner of little birds”: this is the way that small birds were cooked up when they were brought home from a morning’s hunting. Cannellini beans are so much nicer...

Panzanella ~ Tuscan bread and tomato salad

This is a great dish to make a couple of hours in advance in the summer, to have ready waiting for you in the fridge when you get back home. It is light yet satisfying.

Slow-cooked green beans in a tomato sauce

This is a signature dish of the late great Mario, the multitalented father of Tina who used to be one of our amazing instructors at our cooking classes in Italy. You may say that you like your green beans to be firm and crunchy, but after tasting this dish you may also appreciate their sweet, melt-in-the-mouth quality when slow cooked.

Polpettine di patate
Tuscan potato croquettes

The flavours of the nutmeg, garlic and parsley really stand out in this simple peasant side dish/appetizer.

Cecina – Baked chickpea pancake

There are versions of this all the way up to the French Riviera. In Livorno (Leghorn) it is served as an energy-packed sandwich.

Creamy celery in tomato sauce

This is an original and tasty dish, ideal for using up leftover celery (those heads are always a little large to use up in one go…) It tends to come out creamier using spelt flour to coat, but wheat flour is fine too.