Tuscan bread

Tuscan bread

Tuscan bread, inseparable pairing symbolizing an entire regional culture, one of the types of  most consumed bread in the peninsula, the only one able to pair with both cured meats and sweet flavors (jam or chocolate, for example).

Also called “bland bread”, it has an average calorie intake, but its real peculiarity lies in the total absence of salt. Tradition traces this characteristic back to the time of the wars between Pisa and Florence in the 12th century: the maritime republic would have interrupted inland trade, forcing Florentine peasants to produce types of bread with only flour and water, gradually creating traditions of very flavorful accompaniments.

The calories of Tuscan bread are standard, 281 per 100 grams, its shape is rectangular with rounded corners, the crust is crumbly and crunchy, while the crumb has an irregular alveolar appearance. And although unsalted, it is anything but bland! Thanks to natural leavening, obtained through the fermentation of “sourdough starter” promoted by lactic acid bacteria, Tuscany produces a naturally flavorful type of bread.

Particularly linked to Tuscan bread, the inhabitants of the region have devised numerous and delicious uses for it, from crostini to croutons as accompaniments to traditional soups.