Tuscans’ Take on Leftover Wine

Stale bread, white wine, and Tuscan pecorino cheese are among the leftovers that you can see in every Italian household. When combined, the three become an antipasto that every diner would love to order in their casual dinner at any restos.

But you can always do it yourself! First, place the leftover (or newly baked) stale bread in a baking dish. Then, on top of the bread, sprinkle white wine and slices of pecorino cheese. Repeat these two steps with a second layer or more!

Then, finish it with olive oil. Bake this antipasto until the pecorino melts, and the bread turns crispy. Want to know more? Apart from this, listed here are other ways Tuscans deal with leftover wines.

Cacciucco Fish Soup

Here’s another way to enjoy your leftover stale bread—now, with the taste of the sea! This cacciucco fish soup is a local dish in Livorno, Tuscany. Fish soups are traditionally given to slaves and eaten by low-income families in the past.

Also, one legend says that this richly flavorful dish came about when a fisherman died from fishing in the sea. His family had to beg for food to eat, then. The villagers gave the fisherman’s wife some fish.

Then, the wife made some fish soup, which became the cacciucco fish soup now, and served it slices of stale bread to her children. While it has a grievous background, this fish soup is now considered as a highly prestigious dish.

Il Peposo Dell’ Impruneta

Leftover wine is also a secret ingredient of one of the most classic Florentine Peposo dell’ Impruneta. This dish was made by the same fornaciai, who also baked Brunelleschi’s Duomo’s terracotta tiles. Hence, this dish is typically served in terracotta pots, as well.

What’s more, people say that it’s the favorite dish of Filippo Brunelleschi, the founding father of Renaissance architecture.

Traditionally, the steak is flavored with leftover red wine, pepeso (a lot of black pepper in English), and salt. Then, it’s slowly baked in the corner of the oven. Nowadays, people add tomatoes.

Pere Martine al Vino Rosso

One way to experience how to be of a kingly ancestry is through enjoying pere Mmartine al vino rosso or poached pears in red wine! Historically, this delicacy is a staple dessert served to any royal family in Europe.

In Italy, this dessert is typically served with custard, vanilla gelato, whipped cream, or sweetened mascarpone.

Generally, red wine poached pears are incredibly easy to make. You only need red wine, some spices like (e.g., anise, cardamom, cinnamon), sugar, and dark chocolates to make ripe pears into a mouthwatering homemade jam. More importantly, opt for a little under-ripe than too ripe.

Sugo Finto

There was a specific time in Italy when meat became a very expensive and very rare ingredient. Consequently, Italians had no other choice to make their pasta, pizza, and other dishes be rich in vegetables.

Thankfully, Italians are known to be ingenious and eventually made the “sugo finto,” which means “fake sauce” that imitates meat, but its purely vegan- and vegetarian-friendly.

You can use your leftover 2006 Sassicaia Super Tuscans/IGT on your sugo finto! Along with this leftover red, mix up carrots, onions, olive oil, crushed tomato, salt, and sugar. Simmer it for a sufficient length of time—the longer, the better. Then, use this fake meat-like sauce on your oh-so-tasty pici pasta!

Wine-Infused Doughnuts
These wine-infused doughnuts are one of the most rustic sweets you can ever try. They’re first made anywhere in the Roman Castles of Rome. As the name implies, these doughnuts are infused with wine. Still and all, many pair these doughnuts with a glass of wine.

But are they okay for children? Yes! As stated, alcohol tends to evaporate during baking. It smoothes the texture of the doughnut, rather than make the eater get drunk. Italian kids tend to dunk these donuts with milk, while other adults take it with scolding hot espresso.

To make these winuts (wine + doughnuts) yourself, you need leftover wine (red or white), sugar, extra virgin olive oil, flour, baking powder, salt, and grated lemon for your dough. You can bake them for 15-20 minutes at 180C.

Takeaway
Tuscany is among the best wine-producing regions around the world. It has a rich wine-based history, and only a few winemakers are comparable to it. Not only interesting wines and wine-based dishes, but the place has various scenic spots! You should pay a visit soon!