Summertime is downright hot in Southern Tuscany. Temperatures range up to 100° F during the day, but, fortunately, they drop by 25° to 30° before dawn. We had a strong rain the other day, but, otherwise, rain has been scarce. At least the recent rain topped-off my 20,000 liter cistern, so that I can continue to water the garden without worries.

Despite the heat, the garden is growing in leaps and bounds at the moment. The English lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) is thriving in the heat, the santareggio (Satureja montana) is spreading to cover the ground and the mentuccia (Calamintha nepeta) is out of control. It desperately needs to be trimmed. The English lavender is in bloom year round. The santareggio makes an excellent and colorful ground cover. I was hoping that it would keep the vipers out of the garden, with it’s pungent, savory odor, but, based on experience, it doesn’t seem to do that. The mentuccia also spreads like a ground cover until late Spring, when it starts to grow vertical. I prefer to keep it clipped close to the ground. Otherwise it becomes woody with tall racemes of fragrant flowers, but, untrimmed, it begins to look like tumbleweed.

So, what do you do with mentuccia trimmings? You can use the trimmings to propagate new plantlets, or, even better, you can make a pesto — pesto di mentuccia, for a light summer pasta. It’s simple. For two people, use a handful of metuccia (soft green stems and leaves), one small fresh garlic clove, two tablespoons (or maybe a little more) of extra virgin olive oil, a bit of salt and one teaspoon of lemon zest. For texture, you can add some pistachios, pine nuts or walnuts. If you don’t have mentuccia, you could use a mixture of mint and oregano. Mash the mixture in a mortar with a pestle until you have a course paste (you can use a food processor, but don’t let the mixture heat up with the spinning of the blade, and keep it rustically course). The good thing about pesto is that, since it isn’t cooked, you can vary the quantities of ingredients to taste, as you make it — so, be sure to keep tasting it until you get it just right. For variety, try using roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic, but, either way, don’t use too much. It will overpower the mentuccia. If you need a little sweetness, add a bit of sun-dried tomato. Once the mixture is ready, let it sit at room temperature while the flavors meld and harmonize. Cook 140 grams of capellini, more or less, until it is al dente. Always salt the cooking water, but never add oil. If you miss the al dente moment, I recommend that you begin again! Turn off the stove, and quickly drain the pasta (never rinse it) and return it to the pot in which it was cooked. Add the pesto di mentuccia, some grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano (if you like a cheese with stronger flavor and more salt) and a little more olive oil. Then, toss rapidly with a wooden spoon to coat the pasta with the pesto. That’s all there is — it’s ready to serve. If you want to indulge, fry up some pancetta until it’s crispy (but not burned) to garnish the top of the pasta. Pair this dish with a cool, crisp Vermentino or a dry Tuscan Rosato. Buon Appetito!

Summertime in the Garden in Southern Tuscany

Visit to the Eremo di David Lazzaretti & Santa Fiora