The Osteria di Fonterutoli celebrates everything we love about Tuscany. Located an easy forty-five-minute drive from Florence, and conveniently situated on the Chiantigiana road, here you can enjoy a cuisine that respects the local and seasonal ingredients, with a special focus on the wild game found on the Fonterutoli reserve which covers 650 hectares. Wild boar, venison and pheasant can all be found on the property and the dedication of the Mazzei family together with Chef Lorenzo Baldacci to honour these ingredients and the fruits of the land are reflected in their innovative menu.
Lorenzo Baldacci started guiding the cuisine at the Osteria di Fonterutoli in 2013, reinterpreting some of the original Mazzei recipes and classic, traditional Italian dishes, pairing each dish with the wines from the Fonterutoli, Belguardo and Zisola estates.
Broccoli Flan 
Tonno del Chianti 
Farro Spaghetti
During my recent visit to the Osteria, I was fortunate to taste some of the stand-out dishes on their new Autumn menu. Broccoli flan served with asparagus and prosciutto was the perfect starter followed by Farro spaghetti tossed in smoked butter, lemon juice, anchovy and pistachio. Lorenzo’s version of Tonno del Chianti – rabbit macerated in Zisola olive oil and served with a capsicum cream and goat cheese was surprisingly much lighter than what I imagined.
I then savoured the honey-glazed veal tongue with yoghurt and lettuce – a surprising, refreshing symphony of non-traditional Italian ingredients. This dish was what inspired the recipe that Lorenzo is sharing with us in this issue, replacing the tongue with venison, cooked slowly by sous-vide for six hours before being glazed and served with natural yoghurt and blanched lettuce leaves. Trust me when I say that it isn’t difficult to make – all you need is a bit of patience. When it comes to dessert, you can’t pass up the signature tiramisu at the Osteria Fonterutoli and don’t be confused when what seems like a potted plant arrives at the table. This original presentation not only looks amazing with the herbs ‘planted’ into the cocoa ‘earth’ but also tastes incredible.
The Osteria also has a wonderful outdoor deck surrounded by olive trees with views stretching to Siena, the perfect place to admire the landscape while eating gourmet Tuscan dishes and tasting award-winning wines.
If you would like to save this article or want the recipe for the Honey-glazed Venison, then download our Autumn issue of the This Tuscan Life magazine.
The Mazzei family have another Osteria located in Florence called the Belguardo Osteria, named after their wine-estate in Maremma, southern Tuscany, Belguardo. You can read my post about the Osteria here.
Via Gaetano Donizetti, 2, 53011 Fonterutoli (SI) Tel : +39 0577 741 125
[…] If you want more information about the Osteria di Fonterutoli, which is located across the road from the Mazzei winery, then you can read my recent post about it here. […]