Some time ago I saw a description of something called "Tuscan ribs." They're
given a dry rub which consists of the same spices used for salami and
oven-cooked until they start to turn tender. Then they're braised in a spicy
tomato sauce until they're ready to fall off the bone.

I'm going to attempt to make that on Wednesday night, but I'm unsure of a
few things:

1. The guy talking about the salami spice rub was very vague (no doubt
protecting his restaurant's secrets). What do you suppose is in that rub?
Looking through my charcuterie books, salami's main spice is garlic and not
much else, though powdered milk also appears to be fairly common.

2. The tomato sauce was emphatically described as spicy. Would a standard
arrabbiata sauce work? Or does Tuscany have its own version of spicy tomato
sauce? (Or is this dish not Tuscan at all, but called that purely for
marketing purposes? Also, is Fra Diavolo sauce an Italian sauce, or is it an
American creation?) I plan to put a fennel bulb into the sauce, since we've
got one in the refrigerator and I'd like to get the fennel taste into the
dish.

3. What should accompany the ribs? I'm tentatively considering Gnocchi alla
Romana and maybe braised radicchio or rapini.

Bob