Ever wonder if what your really eating when your dining at one of the many 'authentic' Italian Restaurants at home? I can tell you that the stereotypical ' Italian dishes' are not so stereotypical this side of the boot. First of all 'Fettucini Alfredo' is not Italian at all, but most likely is the creation of some Italian immigrant to NYC. Spaghetti and meatballs is another dish you are more likely to find down south. So what exactly do they eat up in Tuscany. Here is what I've got.
Antipasti or Appetizers
Crostini-toasted bread, normally with some sort of topping
Bruschetta-toasted bread with olive oil and sometimes garlic. 2 misconceptions 1. Bruschetta is not pronounced Brushetta, but Brusketta, the ch in Italian makes the k sounds as there is no k in the Italian alphabet. 2. Bruschetta is normally just toasted bread, so it really just mean small toast.
Types of Crostini
al pomodoro-diced tomatoes
aglio- with a garlic spread
Toscano-a liver and anchovies mixtures
al tonno- with tuna, sometimes with artichokes on top.
Tuscan Bread
Normal Tuscan bread is fairly hard, sometimes teeth breaking, and un-salted. Tuscans feel that with all of their salted hams and salamis, salted bread is just too much.
Schiaciatta/Foccacia
Very salted bread made with olive oil, schiaciatta is a flat and soft bread. The bread can be eaten on its own or with ham and a mild pecorino cheese. The best schiaciatta in the province of Florence is located on the main street of a town called Chiesa Nuova. Schiaciatta is best when right out of the oven!
Prosciutto Toscano
Prosciutto Toscano is a cured ham. It is different from other proscuittos mainly because it is saltier than other kinds.
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