The secret of Tuscan cuisine: simplicity

Tuscan cuisine is a poor cuisine that comes from the peasant culture: few ingredients, but of great quality, simple cooking, not very elaborate dishes.
This is why it is also a very current cuisine because it is healthy and eco-friendly, in fact the great classics often include the reuse of leftovers or ‘laid’ bread the absolute protagonist of ribollita, panzanella, pappa al pomodoro, bruschetta.

What are the ingredients that make up this magic?

Mainly extra virgin olive oil, vegetables including tomato and bread.
So what is the secret? The great quality of the ingredients certainly and the care not to spoil them. These same ingredients are the basis of the Mediterranean Diet a term coined by the American physiologist Ancel Keys, now synonymous with eating well and healthily and for this reason recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The bread made in Florence has one characteristic: it is silly, that is, without salt. The custom is said to date back to around 1100, when the Pisans blocked salt supplies in the port of Pisa to induce Florence to surrender. The Florentines did not surrender, but began to make bread without salt, other rumors say that the Florentines produced silly bread, to save money on salt, in any case a distinguished witness documents this custom: Dante in Canto XVII of Paradise writes referring to the exile: “Tu proverai sì come sa di sale lo pane altrui…”
Bread oil and tomato are the triptych at the base of many recipes, let’s choose the simplest one to start from if you want to try a cuisine that speaks Tuscan: bruschetta, queen of appetizers and snacks.

Ingredients:

Homemade bread (not cassette type)
Fresh tomato
garlic
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
basil

Preparation:
Wash and chop the tomato, season it in a bowl with salt, pepper, oil and basil
Cut the slices fairly thick and then toast them a couple of minutes until they become golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside. Season the bread by rubbing a clove of garlic on it (this is optional for those who do not like the pungent taste of this product)
Pour in the seasoned tomato and finish with a drizzle of oil.
It is recommended to eat immediately so that the bread retains its crunchiness and to appreciate the contrast between the warm bread and the fresh dressing. There is still a simpler version that simply toasts and “garnishes” the bread with just oil and salt, which is ideal for starting a lunch with friends or for a mid-day snack.