Divina Cucina

Your Best Friend in Italy

Exploring Chianti- Hotel Palagina, Figline Val D’Arno

by

While researching for my Food Guides. I starting with the area on the 222 wine road. My dream is to expand to the other regions of Chianti as well.

My mother-in-law was from Figline Val D’Arno, so it seemed like a natural first addition. It was the home of Barone Ricasoli, who created Chianti, what better place to start.

Meal with a view! It is just down the hill from Sting’s home, Il Palagio ( you can go and buy the wine at the shop)

I was introduced to the chef, and he shared his recipe for Pappa al Pomodoro, using fresh tomatoes, a real treat in summer. It is an all year recipe though as it is great made with good Italian canned tomatoes too.

Simple ingredients.

Just made a small batch for the two of us.

Rich, vine-ripened tomatoes.
Yellow onion.
Garlic and basil and Tuscan stale bread

Pappa al pomodoro is a soup for all seasons.

I have another recipe  from my friend Sauro, who was a chef in Fiesole. Tons of garlic, a leek base and I always add some chili for a kick.

Federico’s recipe from Palagina, is really fresh and rich using just the yellow onion and fresh tomatoes.

Thanks for sharing your recipe!

If you are not planning on staying at Il Palagina, I do recommend enjoying a meal there or a cocktail and pick up some of their fabulous olive oil!

Print
Pappa al Pomodoro

Pappa al Pomodoro

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced
  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Saute one yellow onion, chopped, in extra virgin olive oil until tender.
  2. Add sliced garlic, chopped tomatoes and basil.
  3. Salt to taste.
  4. Let cook until the tomatoes have fallen apart.
  5. Add the stale Tuscan bread ( it is unsalted, so goes stale quickly. In USA unseasoned stuffing mix works.)
  6. Stir and the bread will absorb the tomato, add some water to make it more soupy.
  7. Taste again for salt.
  8. Serve room temperature.
https://divinacucina.com/2013/09/exploring-chianti-hotel-palagina-figline-val-darno/

Villa il Palagina
Figline Val D’Arno

Just off the A1 highway, 28 minutes by train to Florence.
Near the outlets!

Comments

  2. Vetryna says

    I’ve been there with my husband who is an italian mother tongue.
    Wonderful places…
    Thanks for resurfacing the memories.
    Wanda

  4. Karen says

    I just stayed at Villa La Palagina last week and it is truly a beautiful place in a stunning setting! We did treat ourselves to the tasting menu at the restaurant one night and while the food (and wine) we had was outstanding, for some reason there was a more than 30 minute wait between courses 4 and 5 with no attention from our wait staff at all. This unfortunately turned us off. The food that was delivered was exceptional though!