Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> 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.

Never heard about such a dish. I always had my tuscan ribs grilled, and they
are really god at that in Tuscany. Look for "rosticciana", the tuscan name
for grilled spare ribs.

> 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.

Just garlic and pepper, usually. Then one could find salami made with
wild-fennel seeds, which appear in some tuscan salami and other cold-cuts
such as ciccioli. Wine also is widely used in salami, many italian salami
have wine added in the meat mix. In certain areas the wine gets to rest
overnight with garlic cloves in it then the garlic gets removed or remains
in the wine and goes into the salami. In the latter case the garlic is
finely minced.

> 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?

It could be both ways, I never heard of this dish but this doesn't mean that
it doesn't exist.

> Also, is Fra Diavolo sauce an
> Italian sauce, or is it an American creation?)

Fra' Diavolo was a brigand who became a patriot during the wars between the
french and the Kingdom of Naples a couple of centuries ago, the Itri area
where he hid during his years as a brigand and after a defeat from the
french is full of things named after him, from streets to restaurants to
dishes. There are recipes for olives, linguine (with seafood)... and who
knows what. Maybe it's an original italian sauce or just an invention of the
cook in the show you've seen. Anyway, in italian kitchen when you read the
word "diavolo" there's usually some red hot pepper or at least white or
black pepper, as in "pollo alla diavola".

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

This dish makes me think of a dish I usually make in winter with spare ribs
cut short: sautee a lot of minced onion and garlic in EVO oil, then add the
ribs, some white wine, let go 15 minutes and then plain tomato sauce. The
spices are up to me and I usually add some ground white or black pepper and
a bay leaf. Wonderful on polenta!
But since the recipe you talk about is named after Tuscany, look for "pici",
they're a tuscan kind of big spaghetti made with just flour and water, no
eggs. In the area between Grosseto and Siena, however, some people uses the
egg whites. They are wonderful with strong, rich dressings and era really
easy to make.
--
Vilco
Don't think pink: drink rosè