From pasta to dessert: how to prepare a full Tuscan menu at home

Pici are big, thick, hand-made spaghetti, made using only flour and water. They are typical of Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana, in the southern part of Tuscany. This type of pasta is very easy to make: just pour some flour into a large bowl, add salt, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a cup of water. Then knead and roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about half a centimetre. Your kids will really love creating these long strands of pasta! Find all the ingredients and steps here, including the recipe for the sauce.

Arista, or pork loin, is one of the most typical roasts in Tuscany. It can be served with or without the bone, roasted in the oven or on the stove top with white wine and olive oil, seasoned with ground pepper and salt. Find all the ingredients and the step by step recipe here.

Cantucci are a favourite sweet treat to end a meal, either on their own or dunked in a little glass of vinsanto. Known also as Biscotti di Prato, its name reveals how it is actually made: it is baked twice (bis-cotto). For this recipe you need only flour, eggs, unskinned almonds, the zest of one orange and a pinch of salt. Check out here the detailed recipe and have a good time!

Need a different recipe? Maybe a Tuscan starter or a seasonal side dish? Discover many more easy Tuscan recipes here. If you are looking instead for the perfect wine to accompany your meal, see the list of the most important Tuscan-produced wines to have received the DOCG recognition.