The Tuscan Diet - Vegetables

The ancient Etruscans were incredible people.  They had an amazing sense of engineering, geology, and agriculture/land development.  Archaeologists discovered that around 700 BC, the Etruscans had developed drainage and irrigation of the land, which led to bountiful groves, fields and gardens.

Needless to say, vegetables remain as a large and important part of the Tuscan diet to this day.

A vegetable vendor at the Mercato Centrale in Florence

Full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, there is no denying that vegetables should be a major part of your diet.

Tuscan zucchini

A multitude of different vegetables can be found in the markets in Tuscany.  Some of my favorites are zucchini, melanzane (eggplant), cavolo nero (black kale), carciofi (artichokes), cardi (cardoons), asperagi (asparagus), peperoni (peppers), and spinaci (spinach).  Admittedly, I am a big fan of veggies!

Cardi (cardoons) cut up and ready to be cooked

Buying the freshest possible produce is important, so sticking with buying things that are in season is something I try to do.  Of course what is in season where you live may be different from what is in season where I live, so if you would like to find out when the best time of year to buy vegetables in your area, then do an internet search for seasonal vegetables in your area.

Cavolo Nero (black or lacinato kale)

I could go on and on about the different vegetables - what to look for in buying fresh produce, how to store and prepare them - but then this post would end up being entirely too long!  (In future posts, I may try to feature a vegetable now and then in order to give more specific information and how to prepare it.)

A good recipe using a lot of different vegetables is Minestrone.  The beans and the pasta in the soup make it quite filling.  It's very flavorful and makes a really great meal on a cold winter's day!

Minestrone

4 or 5 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. diced pancetta
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/2 pound yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
1 diced carrot
1/2 pound cavolo nero (black or lacinato kale), chopped
1 diced celery stalk
1 head of lettuce, chopped
2 or 3 small diced zucchini
1/4 pound string beans
2 or 3 ripe plum or roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 can of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
beef broth
1/2 pound short pasta (I use ditalini)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.  Saute the pancetta, onion and basil.  Add all vegetables except tomatoes.  Salt and pepper to taste, cover and let cook for 10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and beans, and enough broth to cover everything.  Cook slowly for 2 hours, covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.  Add more broth or water as needed.
After 2 hours, add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes.  When pasta is done, the soup is ready to eat.  Serve hot, drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil.