PISA. Everything is ready for the great final challenge that will decide the best cecina in all of Pisa and the province. The last appointment of the Ceciniadi 2024 will be held this morning, Wednesday 26 June, from 10 to 12, at the Istituto Alberghiero Matteotti. The challengers, between chickpea flour, water, salt and oil and a good dose of professionalism, will be the staff of the pizzeria Pizzateca di Massimo Savino (winner for Pisa) and that of La Vecchianella di Valentin Vinca in Vecchiano (first place for the Province).
The last challenge
Pizzateca and La Vecchianella will be protagonists on the field, thanks to the hospitality offered by Salvatore Caruso, principal of Matteotti. Their cecina, freshly prepared and baked, will be judged by a jury of experts and only one mixture will win the title of “best” of all.
A sea of coupons
Over 15 thousand preferences allowed the challenge to take off. Pizzateca obtained 969 coupons; 3,480 are, however, the coupons that crowned the cecina from La Vecchianella on the highest podium. A long challenge, that of the Ceciniads, promoted by the Tyrrhenian Sea, together with Confcommercio Province of Pisa and the Cecinai association and the patronage of the Chamber of Commerce.
Thirty-one participants
For Pisa, the pizzeria (in order of ranking) competed against each other: 1) Pizzateca, 2) Il Birbante, 3) Da Nando, 4) Bagni di Nerone, 5) Il Montino, 6) L’Ungherese, 7) A tutto Pizza, 8) Pizza and Pasta, 9) L’Antista, 10) Pizzeria da Teresa, 11) L’Arciere. For the province: 1) La Vecchianella in Vecchiano, 2) La Casaccia in Caprona, 3) Giropizza in Ponsacco. 4) Il Pizzicotto in Cascina, 5) da Chiara in Ponsacco, 6) La Torre di Pizza in Cascina, 7) Uncle Tony in Calci, 8) Luna in Ponsacco, 9) Pirupizza in Montopoli, 10) The meeting in Bientina, 11) Pizza and Company in Capannoli, 12) Voglia di Pizza in Calci, 13) Il Cantuccio da Ale in Ponsacco, 14) Il Fornaretto in Ponsacco, 15) Il Moreccio in Cascina, 16) La Riva in Marina, 17) La Meridiana in Perignano, 18) Pizzarte in San Miniato, 19) Bella Roma in Capannoli, 20) Del Corso in Volterra.
The prices
Rich and important are offered by Enula Viaggi of San Miniato (a stay for two people in an Italian location), by Phone Island of San Giuliano (two smartphones worth 800 euros each and a GiftCard worth 30 euros), from Samovar Viaggi by Maurizio Nardi in Capannoli (entrances and dinners at the Terme di San Giuliano) and from Bottega Etrusca in Pisa (two Murano glass vases).
A big success
The Ceciniads have received consensus not only among professionals, but also among those who have always adored cecina, a poor but tasty traditional dish. «Over 15 thousand coupons, an extraordinary participation of clubs and pizzerias who got involved with great kindness and availability, an avalanche of customers and readers very committed to collecting the “legendary” coupons, the return of the Ceciniads – commented Federico Pieragnoli, director of Confcommercio Province of Pisa – it was a success, while we are still anxiously awaiting the last and highly anticipated act of the final challenge. An unthinkable success without the extraordinary contribution of Il Tirreno, the enthusiasm and competence of the Cecinai Association, the fantastic 31 pizzerias in Pisa and the province, with pizza makers and chefs who are true masters of the taste of this long and intense journey. A jury of absolute quality will be the one called to decide the final winner, but we can already anticipate that it was certainly her, the cecina, the queen of Pisan products that emerged in all her goodness. Between legend and history, cecina is a fundamental dish of Pisan cuisine, and as such it deserves, starting from the Ceciniadi, formal recognition, the establishment of a brand, of a PDO, which guarantees its authenticity and promotion. As an association we will work to achieve this result.”
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