Under the Tuscan Slow Cooker

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

My husband and I recently took an incredible vacation to Italy. We had a great time renting a car and driving from place to place, taking in the beautiful countryside and delicious local food. One of the areas where we spent the most time was Tuscany, and while we are not quite ready to go back and restore our dream villa, we plan to spend many hours happily recreating the memories from our trip, including trying to reproduce some of the fantastic local culinary specialties that we enjoyed while we were there.

Within the different regions of Italy, there are many diverse regional cuisines, and each region has its own distinct cooking style. Tuscan cuisine is quite different than what typically comes to mind—spaghetti with tomato sauce, meatballs, garlic bread— when you think of Italian cuisine. Simplicity grounded in a rich tradition is characteristic of the Tuscan region. Olives and grapes grow in abundance, making extra virgin olive oil and wine two of the area's most basic and essential ingredients. In general, the food is simple and straightforward, reflecting the area’s pastoral roots. It features humble ingredients such as beans, flour, nuts, wheat, and cured pork.

In fact, Tuscans are jokingly called “bean eaters” throughout Italy, given their love of white beans. One of the dishes I enjoyed while there was Fagioli all’Olio— white ceci beans (chickpeas) that had been slowly cooked in a clay pot with sage and garlic. A crockpot can simulate the Tuscan slow cooking in clay pots, and makes beans that are a fantastic side dish served with some grilled sausage and hearty bread.

A word about Tuscan bread – it is deliberately baked without salt. As tradition has it, during the Middle Ages thrifty Tuscan bakers began to bake saltless bread as a way of objecting to the high salt tax, and the practice continued through to modern times. The bread makes a neutral accompaniment to hearty and complex Tuscan dishes and is also a pleasure simply dipped in the complex local greenish-yellow extra virgin olive oil.

Another Tuscan dish that I did not try while in Italy is a hearty white bean based soup called Ribolitta. Ribolitta means “reboiled” and is a classic Tuscan recipe. Below is a crockpot variation on the traditional Tuscan recipe which I plan to attempt when the weather cools down a bit. The reason for its name is that it tastes better reheated or reboiled the second day (just as many slow cooked dishes do) served over thinly sliced toasted Tuscan bread. You can rub the bread with garlic for extra flavor. If you cannot find Tuscan bread, you can substitute round country style or crusty Italian bread. This hearty soup makes a great vegetarian crockpot meal, but you can also add diced bacon or ham bones while cooking if you like.

I always love to come back from vacation with great memories and fresh inspiration to spice up my cooking routine. Trying to recreate the recipes helps me relive my trip and adds to my repertoire. Let me know if you have ever tried to do the same after returning from a great vacation!

Buon Appetito!

Serves/Makes: 8

• 1 leek, washed and chopped (white and light green parts)
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 zucchinis, chopped
• 1/2 head savoy cabbage, finely shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 can (14 ounce size) chopped tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup cooked cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices thick Italian bread

Serves/Makes: 4

• 1 pound dried white beans (cannelini beans or chickpeas)
• 2 quarts water
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil