Riso al nero

Popular all over the Mediterranean, squid ink risotto epitomises the Italian ethos of turning basic ingredients into something unforgettable, and its briny deliciousness cries out for a bone-dry white wine

- GIULIA SCARPALEGGIA

Cucina povera – Italian peasant cooking – is the way people have been cooking in Italy for centuries. This is not just a unique approach to cooking and ingredients; it’s the highest expression of the Italian arte dell’arrangiarsi – the art of making do with what you’ve got. Tuscany’s cucina povera is in my blood. I was born in the Tuscan countryside and raised in a traditional tight-knit family, with a mother and grandmother who applied the principles of the cuisine to our everyday meals.

Traditional cucina povera dishes are immediately recognisable from some common traits: the use of humble ingredients, seasonal vegetables and simple cooking techniques, along with a healthy dose of imagination. It relies on basic, affordable ingredients that are available no matter where you live. Day-old bread and leftover pasta, rice and boiled meats are transformed with inventiveness into treats like fried arancine/arancini, spaghetti frittata, meatballs and beef stew with onions.

With their short lists of affordable ingredients and simple cooking techniques, cucina povera dishes easily fit into our modern lives, with a traditional yet contemporary focus on sustainability, budget and inclusiveness. Dishes are often vegetarian or vegan, and naturally gluten-free.

Meat is eaten only on rare occasions. Rather, the cuisine is centred around dishes made with fish or vegetables, and plant proteins such as chickpeas and fava beans, along with basic ingredients such as chestnuts, potatoes and pasta.