Typical dishes
Soups
There are quite a variety, depending on the vegetables available during the year: black cabbage, pumpkins, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, etc.
Borlotti beans are usually a basic ingredient and they can remain whole or be sifted; chopped celery, onions and garlic are added and bacon (slightly fried), slices of stale bread and... olive oil to top it all.
Farro
The oldest quality of wheat, grown by the shepherds of Syria and Egypt and known by the Greeks and Romans.
In Lucca it is used for a soup made of beans (borlotti), and with celery, onion, garlic, sage and marjoram, crackling and of course Lucca's extra virgin olive oil.
Garmugia
A soup of old tradition, (for the spring season) with onions, peas, artichokes, asparagus, fresh beans, meat and beef broth, bacon, olive oil. Served with slices of toasted homemade bread.
Farinata
A very traditional dish of local cooking based on borlotti beans, black cabbage, bacon, tomatoes and maize flour.
Matuffi
Common in the Garfagnana area, this is a dish of polenta (maize flour) prepared in bowls, alternating layers with meat sauce or mushrooms and parmesan cheese.
Tordelli or tortelli
Once cooked for special occasions, made with fresh pasta and filled with a stuffing of beef and pork, bread softened in broth, parmesan cheese, eggs and spices. They are served with a meat sauce and springled with parmesan cheese.
Sformato
Made with different vegetables, most often with green beans, spinaches, artichokes, cauliflower, courgettes, according to the season. The vegetables are boiled and chopped together with béchamel, parmesan cheese and egg yolks, put in a pan and sprinkled with bread crumbs then cooked in the oven.
Pasimata
Considered "the bread for the days of Lent", and it is tradition to have it blessed on Easter Sunday. A rectangular shape, with big beaks on the long sides, it is made of a batter flavoured with aniseed.
Chestnut cake
Made with chestnut flour mixed with water and adding shelled walnuts, pine nuts, orange peel, raisins, rosemary and olive oil.
Necci
With a batter of chestnut flour cooked between "testi" (iron discs with a long handle for cooking over a fire), to make crepes that are filled with fresh ricotta.
Buccellato
Typical cake of Lucca, made with flour, eggs, aniseed and raisins.
Zuppa lucchese
Made with stale buccellato, softened with vin santo, and alternating layers with strawberries flavored with wine and sugar.
Chocolate cake - Cake with "Erbi"
Pastry tarts filled, not only with dark chocolatge, but also with boiled rice, candied fruit, raisins, pine nuts, nutmeg and eggs.
Cake with "erbi" has a filling of wild herbs mixed with eggs, sugar, pine nuts, raisins, parmesan cheese, cinnamon and boiled rice - a speciality of Lucca.
These cakes are called "coi becchi" from the beaks of pastry put around the border.