Fricassea Rustica (Beef Fricassee)
Servings: 6
Ingredients
800 g (12 oz) stewing steak
1bunch parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
120ml (3.5 oz) white wine
2 egg yolks
1 lemon
100 g (3.5 oz) butter
1. Cut steak into 1cm (1/2 inch) cubes place in hot frypan with olive oil, parsley and garlic
2. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes basting now and then with the white wine
3. Remove parsley and garlic and continue cooking an hour longer. Moisten with hot water if necessary
4. Remove pan from heat and remove the meat while it is still tender, but not rare
5. Beat the yolks with the juice of a lemon and pour it all into the gravy in the pan. Stir and if necessary sprinkle in a little hot water to bind, without returning the pan to the heat. Cover the meat with the sauce and serve
As an option add a few dried mushrooms halfway through
Pollo alla Diavola
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 bunch sage
1 lemon
Olive oil
1. Remove back bone and flattern chicken
2. Dust with pepper and salt and plenty of sage
3. Grill over charcoal for 1/4 hour on each side,basting with brush dipped in olive oil and lemon
Pizza alla Fiorentina
In Florence, pizzerias make pizzas with thin crusts and bake them in wood burning ovens. Here is a basic recipe for the crust, plus the ingredients for making a simple Margerita Pizza. Pizzas are also generally individual size so the recipe below would be for one person.
Makes: 2 thin medium size crust pizzas
Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups bread flour
For toppings:
800 g fresh tomatoes or canned
4 medium sized fresh mozzarellas
Salt
Ground pepper
12 leaves of fresh basil
Good olive oil
1. To prepare the dough: Mix the water with the sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes until dissolved and the yeast starts to bubble. Add the salt, olive oil and 1 cup of the flour and mix well. Add 2 more cups of flour, dough should be still a little sticky but should be able to form a ball. Turn out onto floured surface and start to knead, adding a little bit of flour as needed, until your dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Form a fall, place into an oiled bowl and cover with a cloth napkin. Let dough rise for 45 minutes. Punch down and divide in half.
2. To prepare pizza: Lightly oil your baking pizza pan. With your hands, press on the dough to spread it out over the size of your pan, to about 1/2 cm high (very thin). If using canned tomatoes, make sure they have been well drained and distribute over the dough. If using fresh tomatoes, cut into slices and spread them out on dough (for a different flavor, try my favorite tomato sauce as a base!). Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and spread over the top, then salt and pepper to taste, adding washed basil leaves last. Let the pizza rest for another 10 to 15 minutes.
3. In the meantime, heat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Drizzle olive oil over the top of the pizza before placing into the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted and the crust is golden.
Arista alla Fiorentina – Florentine Roast Pork
Arista derives from the Greek word aristos, meaning “best”. According to tradition, some Greek clergymen which visited Florence in 1430 for a Ecumenical Council were served the Tuscan-style roast pork and found it “aristos” or very good. The dish has been called this ever since then. Arista is equally good served warm or cold.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1 kg boneless center-cut pork loin roast (about 2 pounds)
3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Cooking string
2 tbsp olive oil
1. Mix together the rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Make deep cuts into the pork roast, stuff the incisions with the garlic mixture and spread any remaining mixture over the entire surface of the meat.
2. It is recommended you tie the roast with some cooking string in order to maintain its neat, compact shape and ensure even cooking; if it is a single-piece roast, then the tying is optional. Pour the oil into a large enough saucepan and heat over a medium flame. Add the pork roast and roll it around until you’ve browned the piece on all sides. Now place the roast on a baking dish (the dish/pan should not be too big otherwise the juices will dry out before you can use them) and place it into the oven to cook at about 180°C (350°F) for about an hour and a half. Check the roast periodically and baste with the pan juices, rolling the roast around every once in a while.
3. If you have a meat thermometer, the roast is done once the thickest part of the roast has reached 65°C. If not, make a hole in the thickest part of the roast with a long thin metal toothpick and remove it; the roast is done when no pink liquid comes out of the hole.
4. Remove the roast to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminium foil and let stand for 15 minutes. Slice the meat and serve with the pan juices.
Gran Bollito Misto
A mix of select cuts of meats boiled in water and then served sliced with various sauces. The broth can be used in tortellini al brodo (recipe in Zuppa)
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Quality select beef and veal cuts such as chuck, shoulder, rump and round – leave in large pieces
The vegetables are cut in medium sized pieces
1 large onion
1 medium carrot
1 stick of celery
Salt
1. In a large stockpot, add the chopped vegetables and salt to taste and cover with a lot of water (it should be enough to also cover the meat once it is added to the pot). Place the pot over medium heat, and bring to the water to a boil. Once the water begins to boil, lower heat and add the beef cuts.
2. Cook for about an hour, then add the veal cuts and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
3. Remove meat pieces from the broth (discard the vegetables before using the broth for the tortellini recipe) and cut into slices. Arrange slices on a platter, sprinkle some salt on top and spoon over some of the broth. Serve with dipping sauces or alone, seasoned with some extra virgin olive oil.