Ricette di Spannocchia

Spannocchia Food

Featured Fall recipe: CROSTONE AL CAVOLO NERO | Kale Toasts

This is a favorite winter/early spring staple—before the first crops of the season are ready—because it can easily be made with any hardy vegetables that you froze after harvesting in the fall. We use fresh broccoli here but also often enjoy this creamy, savory side dish with greens like spinach or kale.

Ingredients:

12 thick slices Tuscan white bread

1 bunch kale ("cavolo nero" is generally lacinato or dinosaur kale, but any kind will work)

2 cloves garlic, peeled

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper

Optional, for topping: cooked strips of pancetta or bacon

Instructions:

Remove the “rib” from the middle of each kale leaf. Wash all the kale completely. In a big pot, bring 8 cups of water and 1 tsp salt to a boil. Drop in the kale and cook for 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the slices of bread. Lightly rub each piece of bread with garlic. Arrange the bread slices on a large tray and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

When the kale is ready, remove a single portion from the water (do not drain!) and lay over the bread. Now drizzle a spoonful of the cooking water over each slice. Finish off with a light drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. If desired, top each crostone with a strip or two of pancetta or bacon.

Makes 6 servings.

Topping thick slices of toasted bread with cooked kale.
Close up of kale and pancetta topped on toast.
Table set with two glasses of white wine and a platter of cavolo nero crostone.

RECIPE BOOK: Archived recipes

Tomato Crostone (Toasts)
July 2022: CROSTONE AL POMODORO + SPRITZ | "TOMATO TOASTS" + SPRITZ COCKTAIL
When it's the height of tomato season and it's super hot... nothing's better than an authentic Italian take on what many of us Americans call "bruschetta" (and if you call it that, you better say it correctly!). Pair your tomato toasts with a refreshing spritz cocktail, and you've got yourself a perfect summer aperitivo.
Orange pork loin
May 2022: ARISTA ALL'ARANCIA | ORANGE PORK LOIN
Another Spannocchia favorite! So satisfying, simple, and beautiful—we encourage you to try our braised pork loin with red onions and juicy oranges. The spring cooking classes enjoyed preparing and devouring this special dish, and we know you will too!
Spannocchia garden
March 2022: SFORMATO DI BROCCOLI | BROCCOLI FLAN
This is a favorite winter/early spring staple—before the first crops of the season are ready—because it can easily be made with any hardy vegetables that you froze after harvesting in the fall. We use fresh broccoli here but also often enjoy this creamy, savory side dish with greens like spinach or kale.
Aglione garlic with a wine cork for scale
JANUARY 2022: PICI ALL' AGLIONE | PICI PASTA WITH GARLIC SAUCE
Aglione (Elephant Garlic) are not simply “big” garlic cloves, but a typical Tuscan variety of the garlic family. In our winter recipe, we use aglione to make Pici All'Aglione, but you could substitute any store-bought pasta and even common garlic, if you can't find this special variety.
Two colorful winter squash and wild mushrooms on a marble tabletop
NOVEMBER 2021: CREMA DI ZUCCA AI FUNGHI | CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP WITH MUSHROOMS
As a blended American-Italian community, Spannocchia's annual celebration of Thanksgiving is a similarly unique blend of American & Italian food traditions—a truly special and memorable event! Bring a taste of Spannocchia to your holiday table with this delicious fall soup.
Slices of schiacciata con uva on a silver tray
October 2021: Schiacciata con Uva | Focaccia with Grapes

If you've ever been at Spannocchia during the annual vendemmia (grape harvest), you know that the hard work culminates with a celebration—one which always includes sweet focaccia baked with freshly-picked grapes. Now, just get some wine grapes, and you can enjoy this traditional treat at home.

Ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan
September 2021: Parmigiana di Melanzane | Eggplant Parmesan

As the weather starts to turn cooler (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), enjoy this classic Italian recipe that perfectly straddles summer (with fresh garden eggplant) and fall (with a heartier preparation—fried and cheesy goodness!).

Baked Tomatoes
August 2021: Pomodori Gratinati | Baked Tomatoes

There is never a shortage of dishes you can prepare using tomatoes—not to mention canning and sauce-making for later enjoyment—but we’re particularly fond of this Mediterranean-inspired recipe that calls for baking them with a salty, briny topping.

Plum Cake
July 2021: Dolce Con Le Prugne | Plum Cake

As we harvest gorgeous plums from our orchard during the summer, we love making this fruit dessert. If you're not lucky enough to have plums in your backyard, grab some stone fruit at your local farm stand or market.

Vegetable Roll
June 2021: Rotolo di Verdure | Vegetable Roll

Mix cheese, garlic, and pine nuts with whatever fresh greens you have on hand, then roll it into a delicious ricotta-based dough and bake for a fairly simple but impressive appetizer or side dish.

Fava Bean Pesto
May 2021: Pesto di Fave | Fava Bean Pesto

Savor this favorite spring crop in a fresh, delicious pesto. Pair it with a crisp glass of Italian white wine and it might almost be like you're sitting under the pergola outside the villa dining room.

Salame Dolce ("Sweet Salame")
April 2021: salame dolce

Check out this favorite Spannocchia dessert made with chocolate and biscuit cookies, then rolled and sliced to look like "sweet salami."