Livorno is a great city for foodies, and especially for those who love fresh fish and see food. There are many local recipes famous in all Tuscany and called alla livornese (English: in Livornese style), which very often means the star ingredient is cooked in a rich tomato sauce. As loved as it is for its Cacciucco, Livorno’s cusine is not just about this peppery, powerful fish stew. So what to eat in Livorno?
Starters
Cruditès di mare. Raw mullets, prawns, mussels, oysters. And carpaccio di tonno. Raw tuna marinated with lemon. There’s no need to describe… You just need to taste it!
Spadellata di cozze e vongole. Mussels and clams, soared and then simmered with white wine, served with toasted bread. It can also be a main dish… It depends mostly on the quantity!
Torta di ceci. It is the most famous cake-like dish of Livorno, made of chickpea flour. If you go to Livorno… you need to try it.
First Courses
Spaghetti con il favollo. Spaghetti with crabmeat, made with the yellow crab, typical of the Leghorn’s reef.
Cacciucco. The most typical and world famous dish from Livorno. It comes from the tradition of fishermen who used the unsold fish (almost of all types!) to make a very tasty soup made also with tomato and toasted bread.
Riso nero. Rice, cooked with sliced squids and made black with the squids ink.
Second Courses
Triglie alla livornese. Red mullets baked with tomato puree and spices.
Stoccafisso alla livornese. Dried codfish cooked with lot of onions, tomatoes and with wine.
Acciughe alla povera. Raw anchovies, marinated with lemon juice.
Sweets
Castagnaccio. The cake made of chestnuts flour.
I cenci. Fried biscuits, typical for Easter time.
