Fast but authentic: FIVE ICONIC TUSCAN SANDWICHES

 

If you’re travelling around Tuscany in search of a quick lunch or snack, you must try one of the most famous Tuscan sandwiches. Below you’ll find a list of five iconic tuscan “panini” and some advice on how and where to get them:

1) Lampredotto sandwich: this filling meat sandwich is made with lampredotto, which is part of the cow’s stomach cooked in a broth containing herbs and tomatoes. Lampredotto is usually served in a sandwich with either a green sauce or a spicy sauce. Florence is famous for its Lampredotto stalls which can be found in many piazzas.

2) Tuscan ham and pecorino sandwich: one flavour balanced combination is Tuscan ham (prosciutto) with fresh pecorino. Ideally this sandwich should be made with slices of unsalted Tuscan bread, which is the best combination with the tasty ham.

3) Cinque e cinque (Five and five): cinque e cinque is a Focaccia filled with Farinata or Cecina (chickpea cake). It is especially popular in the Tuscan riviera. In Livorno it is called ‘cinque e cinque’, a throwback to when both the chickpea flatbread and the focaccia cost only five lire each. You can find it in take-out pizzerias.

4) Porchetta sandwich: “porchetta” is a whole pig, de-boned and stuffed with seasoning of salt, pepper, herbs, and roasted in an oven. Although there are people in Ariccia, in Latium, that claim authorship of the original recipe, around Tuscany you can find many stalls, bars and restaurants that offer these tasty porchetta sandwiches.

5) Salami sandwich: unsalted Tuscan bread filled with Tuscan salami, Finocchiona, or Colonnata lard. You can ask for all these sandwiches in many stalls, foodstores (alimentari) and delicatessen (gastronomie) including supermarkets. Using your imagination you can add pickles, truffle sauces,vegetables, and complement the sandwich with a glass of Chianti.

Try them and tell us what you think:  Which is your favorite panino?