Tuscan kale bruschetta

In Tuscany black kale is a warm symbol of home, of a family sitting together around dinner
table enjoying a good traditional meal with the distinctive flavor produced by its use.

Its presence in the region dates back long before the middle ages and is a typical traditional
main ingredient in many tuscan soups.

There is no tuscan farmer without some black kale plants in his garden that look like little palm
trees with their long dark green bluish leaves.

This vegetable belongs to the family of cabbages, but it doesn't grow with a “head” like most cabbages.

Here we describe one of the most popular recipes in Tuscany

Ingredients for 4 people

500 gr of black kale

8 slices of tuscan unsalted bread

4 tablespoons of extravirgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1 spoon of salt + some for dressing

2 liters of water

black pepper to taste

Clean the black kale cutting off and discarding the main hard stem of the leaves then chop them in large pieces. Bring to boil the water with 1 spoon of salt and then add the black kale and let it simmer until it becomes tender, set then all aside.

I the meantime toast the bread slices and rub their surface with halved garlic cloves, put the bread on a tray or large dish, sprinkle half of the olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Drain the still warm black kale saving some of its liquid and lay it on the bread slices with a little of its saved cooking water. Dress with the remaining olive oil, a little salt and freshly ground pepper, serve warm.

To learn directly how to prepare this recipe and many more join a cooking course when in tuscany,a specialized wine and food tour operator like Arianna & Friends can surely guarantee an interesting and enjoyable experience.