Specialties from Siena

Primo Piatto
Let's start with a traditional Sienese pasta, the pici. These are rustic spaghetti that are handmade from water, flour and oil. A typical Sienese recipe with this pasta are the pici all'aglione - a garlic sauce from Valdichiana, which is refined with fresh tomatoes and white wine leading to an excellent and characteristic taste. In another variant of the Pici, the pasta is served with pork or game ragout.
Another specialty are the Gnudi senesi. The special thing about them is that, although they are similar to ravioli, they aren’t wrapped in dough, from this the name "gnudi", which means naked in Tuscan dialect. The gnudi are prepared with spinach or traditionally with chard, borage and nettle, as well as ricotta and eggs, before being rolled into balls and then served with tomato sauce.

Secondo Piatto
For meat lovers, Tuscany and the province of Siena are a good place to stay. There is a large selection of grill specialties and excellent meat dishes. Especially the Chianina breed from the Valdichiana must be emphasized when it comes to excellent meat quality. Because of their color and size, these cattle are also known as "white giants". Their meat is considered the tastiest and best in all of Italy. It is of very high quality and healthy, fat-free and low in cholesterol. The Chianina also has the IGP status. Suitable wines for the Chianina are the Chianti, the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the Brunello di Montalcino.
Another traditional Sienese Secondo is the Scottiglia. It is a kind of stew, for which different types of meat (e.g. lamb, rabbit, chicken and pork) are all combined in one course, cooked together in a saucepan and refined with tomatoes and red wine.

Cheese & sausage
For the small appetite or for an evening aperitivo we recommend a delicious mixed cheese and sausage platter with the delicacies of the region.
First of all the Pecorino di Pienza should be mentioned. This cheese is made from raw, full sheep's milk and has to be aged in oak barrels for at least 90 days. The animals are bred in the Val d’Orcia and eat herbs such as goatee, pepper, field thyme, wormwood, salsify and forest mint, which gives the cheese a very special taste. Typically, the cheese is served with black olives and dried fruit or refined with some honey.
The traditional sausages include the Capocollo and Finocchiona "Cinta Senese DOP". La Cinta Senese is a very old and highly valued pig from the province of Siena. The animals live outside in the wild and have to provide for their own food, which means they don't get fat. The meat is therefore rather dry and lean.