Cioncia 🇮🇹
Original name: Cioncia
Other names: /
Nationality: Italy 🇮🇹
Consumption area(s): Pescia
Introduction
Cioncia is a traditional Italian dish from Pescia, in the heart of Tuscany, with roots deeply tied to the region’s leatherworking heritage. Originally born out of necessity and resourcefulness, it was made using veal snout, which is considered less valuable in conventional butchery but perfect for slow cooking. Rich in flavor and history, this hearty stew combines veal, vegetables, red wine, and tomato passata, slowly simmered until tender and aromatic, reflecting the rustic culinary traditions of the Valdinievole area. Enjoy it hot, ideally served in a heated clay dish, just as it was savored by generations of Tuscan artisans.
History of Cioncia
The origins of cioncia are deeply connected to the economic fabric of Pescia up until the mid-twentieth century, when the town was home to numerous tanneries. During the tanning process, workers who scraped the calf hides to prepare them for treatment would obtain small scraps of meat from the skins. These discarded pieces were boiled and seasoned, turning what was once waste into something edible. Some workers even sold these remnants to the humble taverns known as bettole, informal inns where wagoners and early transporters stopped to rest and eat.
Over time, what had begun as a poor man’s meal evolved into a local delicacy, now proudly served in the restaurants of Pescia. The dish shares clear affinities with the besumèra of Vescovato, in the Cremona countryside, another region historically tied to itinerant hide collectors. These workers would salvage the last strips of flesh clinging to the skins, producing a humble yet vital source of nourishment. Both cioncia and besumèra are prepared using the outermost parts of the animal—such as the snout and tail—precisely because these sections, partially unsheathed during scraping, remained attached to the hide and could later be reclaimed for a modest, though much-needed, protein contribution.
Recipe
Cioncia
Іngredients
- 1.2 kg
veal snout (2.6 lb) - 400 g
tomato passata (14 oz) - 2 glasses
still red wine (2 cups) - 2
western carrots - 2 celery stalks
- 2 golden onions
- 1
garlic clove - 3 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil - 4
sage leaves (optional, not always used) - 1 sprig parsley (optional, not always used)
- Vegetable stock (Italian style), as needed
- Ground chili pepper, to taste
Table salt, to taste Water, as needed for boiling the veal snout
Іnstructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 carrot, 1 red onion, and 1 celery stalk. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add the veal snout and let it cook for about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, finely chop 1 carrot, 1 red onion, 1 celery stalk, the garlic, parsley, and sage. Sauté the mixture in a saucepan with the olive oil for about 10 minutes.
- Next, add the meat from the veal snout, cut into cubes, and brown for another 5 minutes. After that, deglaze with the red wine.
- Once the alcohol has evaporated, add the tomato purée to the pan and season with salt and ground chili pepper. Let everything simmer for about 1 hour, or until the meat is tender, adding hot vegetable stock whenever the mixture becomes too dry.
Notes:
Nutritional facts table
Please note that nutritional values may vary slightly depending on the ingredients used.
| Nutrients | Total (4 people) | Per serving |
| Calories (kcal) | 2645 | 661.3 |
| Total fat (g) | 149.6 | 37.4 |
| ———Saturated fat (g) | 47.9 | 12 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 960 | 240 |
| Sodium (mg) | 980* | 245* |
| Total carbohydrates (g) | 43 | 10.7 |
| ———Dietary fiber (g) | 9.1 | 2.3 |
| ———Total sugar (g) | 21 | 5.3 |
| Protein (g) | 246.9 | 61.7 |
*This sodium content does not include the salt added during preparation, as the amount varies depending on personal preference.