We pit-stopped in Livorno, on the west coast of Tuscany, on our way back from a wedding a few weeks ago; just long enough to fill the car with petrol, drive twice around Piazza della Repubblica, unfold our bodies, then fill them with 5 e 5 bun from the Da Gagarin bakery.
Just behind the handsome mercato centrale, the full name of this historic Livornese joint is Antica Torteria Al Mercato Da Gagarin. A torteria (probably a Livornese word) is the place that makes torte – that is, round, flat, baked things – while a tortiera is an object: the round tray used for baking the round, flat, baked things. The tortiere in Da Gagarin are brass and the size of crash cymbals; they have a low lip and are used to bake torta di ceci. Making just one thing means there is a continual flow. As we arrive, chickpea flour and water batter is being poured into tortiere on a work surface set back from the counter. At the same time, just-cooked torte are being paddled from the narrow mouth of the wood oven.
