Pane sciocco (pronounced [ˈpaːne ʃˈʃɔkko]; also called pane toscano outside Tuscany) is a variety of bread commonly found in Tuscany, Umbria, and the Marches, three regions of Italy. Sciocco means "without salt", but is also a synonym for "stupid" in Italian.
Tu proverai sì come sa di sale lo pane altrui, ...
You will experience how salty is the others' bread, ...
- Dante Alighieri from the Divine Comedy
Being different from the other kinds of Italian bread, pane sciocco does not have any salt added. According to legend, bakers created a saltless bread so they did not have to pay an increased salt tax.[1]
Pane Sciocco is often eaten with Tuscan condiments like Pecorino Toscano cheese, ham, sausages, and prosciutto.[1]