Giro 2024 Stage 5: Genova to Lucca

Where are we? Heading from Liguria to Tuscany

Genova: Tourist website here.  The folks at Michelin tell me that it is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and capital of Liguria. Genova features picturesque districts huddled on the slopes of the surrounding mountains. The city revolves around its port (re-designed by the architect Renzo Piano) and the sea, to which it owes its wealth and reputation. Genova “la Superba” is a city of contrasts where splendid palaces and ornate churches stand alongside more modest buildings, criss-crossed by a network of narrow streets known as carruggi.“The most winding and incoherent of cities, the most entangled topographical ravel in the world,” Henry James called it.

Giro specialities: Genoa is a city worth tasting. Its culinary tradition has ancient roots and reveals the character of the territory and the cleverness of its people who have been able to invent genuine, tasty and attractive cuisine, using simple ingredients.

Walking through the historic centre it’s impossible to resist the temptation of a piece of Genoese focaccia, a real delight for the palate, ideal for a snack at any time of the day!

At lunchtime nothing like stopping in one of the ancient sciamadde (the term comes from “flame” and identifies the ancient street chip shop with wood oven), where you can taste delicious specialties such as farinata, made with chickpea flour and baked in a wood oven, stuffed anchovies, frisceu (tasty salty fritters made with batter) and numerous vegetable pies.

At dinner time, there are many restaurants where you can spend the evening and enjoy the specialties of Genoese cuisine, first of all the pesto, the undisputed king of local food, which here has a unique flavour, also thanks to the Genoese D.O.P. (denomination of controlled origin) basil.

And if after tasting it, you will not be able to do without it, there are many opportunities to attend courses and cooking lessons to learn all the secrets to prepare a pesto like a real Genoese!

Typical Genoese cuisine is also rich in fish dishes, such as cappon magro, a scenic and appetizing fish salad; the stockfish is excellent both “accomodato” (stewed with potatoes, olives and pine nuts) and like a salad, called brandacujun. And then the anchovies, prepared in a thousand different ways!To end on a sweet note, not to be missed the pànera, a typical coffe-flavored parfait and the Genoese pandolce, a typical Christmas dessert that can be found in the pastry shops all year round!

Lucca: Discover Tuscany tells me that:  Lucca is one of the cities most loved all of Tuscany, a stop that can not really miss in a classic itinerary to the discovery of the region. Most of the attractions in Lucca today show its ancient history: from the trace of the Roman amphiteater that can be seen in the shape of the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro to the archeological remains under the 12th century church of Saints Giovanni and Reparata (the first city cathedral, located just around the corner from the present-day cathedral of San Martino), to the various towers and villas from the 12th to 16th centuries.

Extraordinarily, as the city grew and modernized, the walls that surrounded the old town were maintained which was not the case for many other cities in Tuscany, including Florence. As the walls lost their military importance, the top of the walls became a pedestrian promenade, today one of Lucca's main attractions. The area around the walls is well taken care of, with green grass and trees everywhere along the walls. They have in essence become a park that surrounds the city and blocks out more modern life. Here you can enjoy a bike ride around the entire perimeter, a stroll as you enjoy a gelato or simply a period of rest from sightseeing on one of the many shaded benches that line the main walkway.

Giro Specialties: The territory of Lucca offers a wide variety of culinary excellences. On the table, two cornerstones of traditional cuisine are the zuppa frantoiana, a soup made with vegetables and aromatic herbs combined with a puree of beans and laid bread, to be seasoned strictly with extra virgin olive oil fresh from the mill. Another typical dish par excellence, served on the tables of restaurants and families on feast days, are the tordelli lucchesi (spelled with a “d” instead of the usual “t”), pasta stuffed with meat and seasoned with beef and pork ragout. Then, springtime means Garmugia, a soup of noble origins with seasonal vegetables and ground meat. Also not to be missed is spelt soup, very creamy, prepared with different types of beans. Among the Slow Food presidia are red beans.

Main courses include rovellina (beef repassed in tomato and caper sauce), fried poultry and vegetable stews, simple but tasty, accompanied by the fragrant DOC wines of the Lucchesi Hills and Montecarlo.Other specialities include buccellato, a simple, bread-like cake, rich in sultanas and aniseed, and torta co’ becchi, a shortcrust pastry base filled with chard, pine nuts, sultanas, stale bread and spices, which is also available in a chocolate version. Typical liqueurs to pleasantly end a meal are biadina and china Massagli, with a slightly bitter herbal taste.

The stage: Another should be a sprint stage. The likely doomed break of the day consisted of Geschke, Askey, Bais and Tarozzi. They would indeed by caught and we would have a second quartet: Pietrobon, Thomas, Paleni and Valgren. 

Under 30 kilometers to go and their gap was under a minute. Nearing 25 kilometers to go and several riders down in yet another crash in the middle of the peloton. Under 20 kilometers to go and the gap was still hovering around a minute.

Lots of gabbing at the front of the peloton was a sign that things were looking good for the break. But, as we have seen, they can make up a lot of time quickly, if they get organized. But as the kilometers counted down, the break appeared more organized than the bunch. Four kilometers to to and still 39 seconds. One kilometer to go and it was time to see who would jump first.

Wow! Benjamin Thomas from Cofidis. That is a shocker. 

The wine: From 2022  Punta Crena Pigato Riviera Ligure di Ponente Vigneto Ca’ da Rena

from Dig

From the importer: A bottle that empties so quickly you’re surprised to see the bottom. The first time Kermit tasted this Pigato, the bottle was gone before the fish course arrived. He then ordered a second bottle—the ultimate compliment.

The food: Farinata (Chickpea Flour Pancake)

Recipe courtesy of Eataly
1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for sautéing & finishing
½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Whisk the chickpea flour with 1 3/4 cups water, then whisk in the salt and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Cover the mixture, and set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour or as long as 12 hours; the longer the better.
If you're using the onion, sauté the thin slices in extra virgin olive oil until soft and translucent but not brown. Just before finishing, stir in the herbs to cook for a few moments, then add the cooked onions to the mixture.
Heat an oven to 400°F. Heat a few teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the flour and onion mixture to the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes. Check the "doneness" by inserting a knife in the center; if the knife comes out clean, it's done. If the top has not already browned, place the pancake under a broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until it is flecked with tasty brown spots.
Remove the skillet from the oven, and let it cool for a minute. Carefully transfer the farinata from to a cutting board. Cut it into wedges, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (points if it's Ligurian), and top with a ridiculous and obscene amount of freshly and coarsely ground black pepper. Serve warm.

Recipe from Eataly