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Pumpkin Bruschetta with Tuscan aromatic herbs

Pumpkin bruschetta with Tiuscan herbs

This pumpkin bruschetta with Tuscan aromatic herbs is a simple and tasty recipe for fall. Toasted whole wheat bread is topped with roasted pumpkin, made special by a unique mix of rosemary, sage and elicrisio.

When fall takes hold, the fields in the Florentine countryside abound with different varieties of pumpkins. That’s why pumpkin is a key ingredient in Florentine fall cooking. Roasted, fried, broiled or stewed, it’s always infused with herbs, mostly rosemary and sage. In this pumpkin bruschetta, I added elicrisio for an extra burst of warmth and flavor. Have fun experimenting with different combinations of herbs and spices!

Pumpkin, bread (stale bread is fine, too) and aromatics make this Tuscan-inspired bruschetta a simple three-ingredient recipe. It is great for a quick weeknight meal as well as a weekend dinner party dish.

Pumpkin bruschetta with Tuscan aromatic herbs – Bruschetta alla zucca con erbe toscane

  • bread of your choice (I used whole wheat saltless Tuscan bread)
  • 200 gr / 7 ounced pumpkin
  • rosemary, sage, elicrisio
  • black pepper, grounded
  • salt
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • walnuts (optional)

Remove the skin and the seeds of the pumpkin, then reduce into small cubes. Place them in a large baking tray, add the salt, ground black pepper, rosemary, sage and elicrisio and mix. Now drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Roast in a 200° C /392° F hot oven for 30 minutes or until tender and starting to brown.

While the pumpkin is roasting, toast the bread. Make sure your slices are not extremely thin (they should look like the ones pictured above). This will allow the bread to soak up the vegetable juice turning your pumpkin bruschetta into a veggie delight.

Top the toasted bread slices with the pumpkin cubes. Do not discard the herbs – they should now be soft and chewable. Garnish with walnuts (if using) and serve immediately.

Culinary Dictionary: Carciofini

 

Artichoke-shaped Florentine breads

Carciofini, which translates into “little artichokes,” are small Florentine breads that vaguely resemble in shape artichokes.

Bread is the quintessential Florentine ingredient. Lots of traditional recipes use stale bread to make deliciously comforting dishes. Although Florence’s most popular bread is pane sciocco (saltless bread), bakeries display a wide array of different Florentine breads. Carciofini is one of them. These artichoke-shaped panini are made with a generous amount of Tuscan extra virgin olive oil, which gives carciofini a firm texture and a piquant flavor. They have a crispy crust and a chewy crumb.

I find that carciofini pair beautifully with roasted vegetables and a variety of soft cheeses, including Taleggio and sheep’s milk ricotta. These cute panini are great stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese and grilled zucchini in the spring, with roasted pumpkin and aged pecorino toscano when the temperature starts to drop in the winter months. You can find good carciofini breads at several bakeries in town. If you’re in the Oltrarno area, don’t miss carciofini from Il Forno bakery. They’re the best!

Carciofini are traditional Florentine breads

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