
Sienese scottiglia is a robust, fragrant stew in which different cuts of meat cook slowly in a rich sauce of tomato, red wine, and aromatic herbs. The result is a thick, dark stew with tender meat that falls apart and a deep, slightly spiced flavor. It is traditionally served piping hot over slices of toasted Tuscan bread, which soak up the sauce. It is a convivial dish, perfect for long meals during the colder seasons.
Scottiglia reflects the rural life of the Sienese countryside, where cooking grew from farmers’ ingenuity and whatever ingredients were available at the moment. Mixing several meats in the same pot was a gesture of community and abundance after a hunt or a slaughter. Today it remains a symbol of the honest and generous cuisine of the province of Siena.
The origins of scottiglia date back to the medieval peasant traditions of southern Tuscany, when hunters and farmers would gather different available meats into a single pot. The name evokes the idea of meat being “seared” and then slowly stewed in wine and tomato. Over time the recipe became established in the countryside around Siena and the Maremma, while still maintaining great family variation in the combinations of meats.
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