Credit: National Geographic Matt Holyoak

Tucci in Tuscany: Every Dish From Episode 1 of Tucci in Italy

10 Minute read

23 May 2025

Jillian Dara

Journalist

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From Florence to Siena, Tucci eats his way through Tuscany’s past and future—one tripe sandwich, lardo slice, and Palio risotto at a time.

Stanley Tucci is back on the road—and back in the kitchen. In his new National Geographic series, Tucci in Italy, the actor and gastronome dives deep into five distinct regions, uncovering stories, traditions, and the unsung heroes of Italian food culture. In this new Fine Dining Lovers series, we follow Tucci’s journey, one episode at a time, pairing each recap with recipes inspired by the dishes he encounters. First stop: Tuscany.

Florence’s Street Food Legacy: Lampredotto by the Arno

“Tuscany is a masterpiece,” Stanley Tucci proclaims, raising a Negroni beside the Arno River as he opens the first episode.

The new five-part series Tucci in Italy devotes each episode to a different Italian region—Tuscany, Lazio, and beyond—showcasing the stark contrasts in culinary customs and cultural traditions from north to south.

In Episode 1, Tucci begins in Florence—where he spent a year of his childhood—exploring the city’s classic peasant fare, including lampredotto: a slow-cooked sandwich made from the abomasum, or fourth stomach of the cow. Tender, juicy, and deeply flavorful, it’s served on a broth-dipped bun and typically eaten standing up, napkin in hand. “There’s a softness but a sweetness to it,” Tucci says.

Stanley enjoys lampredotto, which is something only Florentines seem to cook, with food writer Emiko Davies. Credit: National Geographic - Matt Holyoak

What Is Lampredotto? Inside Florence’s Most Iconic Street Food

Curious to try it yourself? Watch this step-by-step video guide to making authentic Florentine lampredotto—slow-cooked beef abomasum served on a broth-soaked bun, just like Tucci had in Tuscany.

Peasant Classics at Dalla Lola

Next, Tucci heads to the working-class neighborhood of Santo Spirito to visit Dalla Lola, a cozy restaurant where Florentine chef Matilde Pettini celebrates the region’s humble, historic dishes. Among them is la francesina—a stew of braised beef tongue and onions—which Tucci samples with his usual poise. “All the things that we think are gross are so delicate when made properly,” he says, before trying finta trippa, or “fake tripe,” made from a dough of breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and eggs.

Tucci then heads to the marble-mining town of Colonnata in northern Tuscany’s Apuan Alps—famous for producing Carrara marble. These same marble basins are used to cure lardo di Colonnata, a salted and spiced pork fat that ages for 10 months before being sliced thin and served as a rich, savory snack. Tucci also samples a home-cooked local favorite: larded rabbit—pounded rabbit meat layered with lardo, chard, and cooked prosciutto, then rolled and pan-seared with rosemary and white wine. As it simmers, the lardo melts into the dish, infusing the meat with flavor and moisture.

Finta Trippa: Tuscany’s Clever Vegetarian “Tripe”

This traditional peasant dish swaps stomach lining for a humble dough made of breadcrumbs, eggs, and cheese. Watch how finta trippa is shaped, simmered, and transformed into a Tuscan classic.

Cured in Marble: Lardo di Colonnata

In Maremma, the sun-scorched southern frontier of Tuscany, Tucci compares the landscape to “Italy’s Wild West.” Here he meets the butteri—local ranchers who tend to a herd of 500 Maremmana cattle once reserved for Tuscan royalty—at the sprawling 11,000-acre Tenuta di Alberese. The conversation peaks over a thick, dry-aged steak, seared alfresco without spices. Stefano, the head buttero, explains that the cows are never stressed and constantly on the move, which contributes to their exceptional, natural flavor. Sliced hot off the grill and drizzled with olive oil, the steak is served simply, with a single slice of bread.

A Fusion Future at Ciblèo

Back in Florence, Tucci revisits lampredotto—but this time, in a form that upends 800 years of tradition. After a stroll through the city’s produce market with Giulio Picchi, a restaurateur known for his “provocative vision for Tuscan food,” Tucci takes a seat at the counter of Ciblèo, a restaurant established by Giulio’s father, Fabio Picchi. Here, there’s no bread in sight. Instead, Giulio serves a daring Tuscan-Asian fusion menu that includes fried spinach fritti (spinach coated in chickpea flour), a lampredotto meatball dressed with miso and yuzu, and katsuobushi—smoked, dried bonito—meant to mimic a slice of prosciutto, layered over cheese and served on toast. Chopsticks come out for a main of grilled swordfish with smoked butter and flat green beans charred over coals. Then, it’s back to hands for the final dish: a Japanese-inspired ossobuco made with raw swordfish bone marrow over braised lamb shank. Gesturing toward the chef behind the counter, Tucci declares, “He’s a genius.”

The Palio di Siena and the Power of Belonging

Finally, Tucci travels to Siena for the Palio di Siena, the city’s legendary twice-yearly horse race, and the contrada dinners that accompany it—three days of communal feasting and local pride leading up to a 45-second sprint around the piazza. In the days before the race, he meets volunteers from all walks of life—doctors, dentists, and shopkeepers—cooking vats of risotto for thousands. Each of Siena’s 17 contrade (neighborhood districts) hosts its own celebration, reinforcing a powerful sense of identity and belonging. While Tucci doesn’t sit down to eat, he learns that each dinner typically includes a three-course meal, with schiacciata and sausage risotto among the highlights. The episode ends in a chorus of Italian song—a final note on the enduring beauty of tradition.

A waiter serves hot food from a tray to a participant at a bustling Palio dinner, held on the lively streets of Siena on the eve of the famed race. Credit: National Geographic

Want to Make Risotto at Home? Here’s a Delicious Starting Point

While the contrada risotto served during the Palio is unique to Siena’s street feasts, this creamy risotto alla Parmigiana—made by Fine Dining Lovers—is a comforting classic that captures the spirit of Italian rice dishes. Watch the technique and make it your own.