Siena Food Culture

Thick, hand-rolled pasta strands similar to thick spaghetti, served with a rustic sauce made from aglione (a giant, mild garlic variety specific to the Val di Chiana). The sauce is deceptively simple - just tomatoes, aglione, olive oil, and peperoncino - but the thick pasta's chewy texture and the sweet-savory sauce create an unforgettable combination. Each strand of pici is rolled by hand without eggs, using only flour and water.

Pici dates back to Etruscan times and was the everyday pasta of Sienese farmers who couldn't afford eggs. The aglione garlic variety was rediscovered in the 1990s after nearly disappearing, making this dish both ancient and newly revived.

Wide, flat egg pasta ribbons served with a rich, slow-cooked wild boar sauce that simmers for hours with red wine, tomatoes, and aromatic vegetables. The wild boar meat becomes incredibly tender and develops deep, gamey flavors that are balanced by the wine's acidity. This is the quintessential Sienese pasta dish, especially popular during autumn and winter hunting seasons.

Wild boar have populated the forests around Siena since ancient times, and hunting them has been both necessity and sport for centuries. This dish represents the marriage of forest and farm that defines Tuscan mountain cooking.

A hearty, thick soup made with cannellini beans, black kale (cavolo nero), vegetables, and stale unsalted Tuscan bread that's 'reboiled' (ribollita means 'reboiled') the day after making it. The bread dissolves into the soup, creating an almost stew-like consistency. It's traditionally served at room temperature or lukewarm, drizzled with peppery extra virgin olive oil.

Born from the medieval practice of servants collecting leftover bread and vegetables from noble households, ribollita exemplifies cucina povera. The dish is actually better on the second day, which is when the reboiling traditionally occurred.

A thick-cut chop from the indigenous Cinta Senese pig breed, recognizable by the white 'belt' (cinta) around their shoulders. The meat is darker and more marbled than standard pork, with a rich, almost sweet flavor. Typically grilled simply with salt, pepper, and rosemary to showcase the meat's exceptional quality.

The Cinta Senese breed appears in Siena's medieval frescoes and has been raised in these hills since before Roman times. Nearly extinct by the 1990s, the breed has been revived and is now a protected DOP product.

A refreshing summer salad made with soaked stale bread, ripe tomatoes, red onions, basil, and cucumber, all dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. The bread absorbs the tomato juices and dressing while maintaining some texture. It's a perfect example of how Tuscan cuisine wastes nothing and transforms simple ingredients into something greater.

This dish dates back to the 16th century and was originally made by farmers working in the fields who needed something filling and refreshing that wouldn't spoil in the heat. The use of stale bread reflects the Tuscan reverence for their pane.

Small toasts topped with a dark, rich spread made from chicken livers, capers, anchovies, and sometimes spleen, all cooked with vin santo wine. The spread has an intense, savory flavor that's both earthy and slightly sweet. These are served as part of an antipasto course or before meals.

A staple of Tuscan cuisine that appears at every traditional feast and family gathering. The recipe varies by family, with some versions passed down for generations as closely guarded secrets.

Hand-rolled pici pasta tossed with aged pecorino cheese from the Crete Senesi and coarsely ground black pepper. The starchy pasta water creates a creamy sauce that coats each thick strand. While similar to the Roman version, the Sienese use their local pecorino and thicker pici pasta for a heartier dish.

This represents the Sienese adaptation of a Roman classic, showcasing the local pecorino that has been produced in the clay hills south of the city for over a thousand years.

A dense, chewy medieval confection made with honey, nuts (almonds and hazelnuts), candied fruits, and a blend of spices including cinnamon, coriander, and cloves. It's dusted with powdered sugar and cut into thin wedges. The texture is somewhere between nougat and fruitcake, and a small piece goes a long way.

Dating back to the year 1205, panforte was originally created by nuns and apothecaries. It was a luxury item made with expensive spices brought back from the Crusades, and its long shelf life made it valuable for travelers.

Soft, chewy almond cookies made with almond paste, sugar, and egg whites, flavored with orange zest and vanilla. They have a distinctive diamond or oval shape and are dusted with powdered sugar. The texture is delicate and slightly moist, unlike crisp Italian biscotti.

Legend says these cookies were brought to Siena by a nobleman named Ricciardetto della Gherardesca returning from the Crusades, though they likely evolved from Arab marzipan traditions in medieval Sicily.

A simple soup of onions, tomatoes, celery, and stale bread, topped with a poached egg and grated pecorino. Despite its humble name meaning 'cooked water,' the dish is deeply satisfying, with the egg yolk enriching the broth when broken. It represents the ultimate expression of cucina povera.

Created by Maremma shepherds and charcoal burners who had little more than wild vegetables, stale bread, and olive oil. Each spoonful tells the story of making something from almost nothing.

Dome-shaped cookies made with honey, walnuts, candied orange peel, anise, and coriander. They're harder and more rustic than ricciarelli, with a distinctive spiced flavor. Traditionally enjoyed dunked in vin santo wine.

The name means 'little horses,' possibly because they were sold at horse fairs or because their shape resembled horse hooves. They've been a Sienese specialty since the 1500s.

A rustic hunter's stew made with multiple meats (traditionally whatever was hunted that day - rabbit, chicken, pork, sometimes wild boar) cooked slowly with red wine, tomatoes, and herbs. The meats are cut into small pieces and cooked until fall-apart tender, creating a rich, complex sauce perfect for soaking up with bread.

This dish originated from hunting parties where each hunter contributed part of their catch to a communal pot. The name comes from 'scottare' (to scorch), referring to the initial searing of the meat.