LA CUCINA ITALIANA

Trattoria Heaven in Tuscany

Tuesday, Nov 18, 2008, 11:00 PM | Subscribe to the magazine

Trattoria Dardano Paolo Castelli and his mother, Ilva, greet customers at their trattoria, housed in a rustic stone building that dates to the Middle Ages. Paolo runs the front of the house and Ilva whips up the pasta and desserts, while the rest of the family hunts the wild game and grows the fresh produce. (Galilea Nin)
Ristoro di Lamole The signature dish, pappardelle with wild boar sauce, takes 14 hours to prepare—the meat alone soaks in wine for up to 12 hours. (Galilea Nin)
Ristoro di Lamole The antipasto platter, served on local olive-tree wood, comes with pecorino, prosciutto, and two garnishes: a pepper preserve and a tangy honey infused with truffles. (Galilea Nin)
Ristorante di Pietrafitta The terrace—with its classic Tuscan views of vineyards and olive groves—is a popular spot, so it's best to make reservations a few days in advance. (Galilea Nin)
Bar Dante Along with more than 15 kinds of pastries each morning, the Ferruccis serve five types of bruschetta, the house specialty, for lunch and dinner. (Galilea Nin)
Bar Dante Every day, Fabrizio prepares roughly 80 panini, including several of these, made with fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella. (Galilea Nin)
Buca di Sant'Antonio At the end of the meal, guests are treated to biscotti della buca, made with pine nuts, olive oil, and vin santo. Oh, and those pots? They're just for show. (Galilea Nin)