Once you've found the ideal holiday rental in Livorno and are busy exploring the city and its beaches, make sure to stop and sample some of the local cuisine. Livorno is known for multiple local specialties including cacciucco, a rich fish stew made of tomato and five different kinds of fish and served with a thick slice of bread rubbed in garlic. The dish has become somewhat of a symbol of the town which is understandable, considering it is a port town of seaside resorts and lots of fishing activity. Other Livornese fish dishes include Triglie alla Livornese (Livornese red mullet) and Spaghetti al Nero (pasta with cuttle fish ink).
However, as important as fishing and seafood is to the town, you must also make time to try Torta di Ceci, a chickpea flour “pancake” which is a typical dish of Livorno. It makes for the perfect street food and is tasty, nutritious, cheap and easy to eat as a snack on the move, or as part of a meal. It is made from chick pea flour which is made into a thin batter and cooked in huge round tins in a very hot oven, preferably wood-fired. The resulting pancakes are then sold by waiting and is traditionally eaten in bread as a “Cinque e Cinque” (meaning “five and five”) which refers to the original value of the bread and the torta: five liras for the bread and five for the torta.
There are some important historic Tortai (places where they serve the torte) in Livorno, such as Cecco in the Borgo district, and Gagari by the covered food market. Try one while wandering the city and then finish it off with a Livornese “Ponce”. This is a potent hot drink made from coffee and rum according to a secret formula. The most famous bar in Livorno for Ponce is Civili in Via del Vigna, but it is available everywhere.
If you can't wait until your trip to try out a Torta di Ceci, try out this recipe and daydream about your perfect getaway in Tuscany.
However, as important as fishing and seafood is to the town, you must also make time to try Torta di Ceci, a chickpea flour “pancake” which is a typical dish of Livorno. It makes for the perfect street food and is tasty, nutritious, cheap and easy to eat as a snack on the move, or as part of a meal. It is made from chick pea flour which is made into a thin batter and cooked in huge round tins in a very hot oven, preferably wood-fired. The resulting pancakes are then sold by waiting and is traditionally eaten in bread as a “Cinque e Cinque” (meaning “five and five”) which refers to the original value of the bread and the torta: five liras for the bread and five for the torta.
There are some important historic Tortai (places where they serve the torte) in Livorno, such as Cecco in the Borgo district, and Gagari by the covered food market. Try one while wandering the city and then finish it off with a Livornese “Ponce”. This is a potent hot drink made from coffee and rum according to a secret formula. The most famous bar in Livorno for Ponce is Civili in Via del Vigna, but it is available everywhere.
If you can't wait until your trip to try out a Torta di Ceci, try out this recipe and daydream about your perfect getaway in Tuscany.
Ingredients
350g of chick pea flour
1l of water
Two large spoons of olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Method
1. Mix everything together to make a smooth batter and leave to stand for at least two hours (this is really important to the success of the dish).
2. Oil a shallow tin and pour in the batter.
3. Torta di Ceci is very thin, so your tin should be about 45cm in diameter. Cook for half an hour at 250°C until the surface is golden.
4. Serve with extra pepper in a roll to make an authentic Cinque e Cinque.
350g of chick pea flour
1l of water
Two large spoons of olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Method
1. Mix everything together to make a smooth batter and leave to stand for at least two hours (this is really important to the success of the dish).
2. Oil a shallow tin and pour in the batter.
3. Torta di Ceci is very thin, so your tin should be about 45cm in diameter. Cook for half an hour at 250°C until the surface is golden.
4. Serve with extra pepper in a roll to make an authentic Cinque e Cinque.
Photo credit: Myrabella / CC BY-SA 3.0
