Florence Cooking Main Courses - Florentine Steak

Bistecca alla Fiorentina = Florentine Steak (charcoal grilled steak)

• One beef steak ( about 700 grams)
• Salt.

The true steak (with bone which is like a T with sirloin and fillet I a side) comes from tender beef preferably chianina breed.

Prepare in time the barbecue so that you can have a good ember with no fire,
Place the grill over the ember (about 10 cm.)
When the grill is red-hot place the steak ( at room temperature, not washed and take it with your hands- no fork!)
Grill the steak 5 minutes o’ clock without touching it.
Turn it with a spatula (not with a fork)
Grill fore 5 more minutes, salt the grilled part.
Eat in the next minute, a cold Bistecca is damaged!
You can add some pepper, but NOT oil or lemon.

Tagliata = Big steak cut in slices

This is like a grilled steak, it is bigger and, when ready it is cut in vertical slices, without separating them, on these slices you can put grilled mushrooms.

Fegatelli = Roasted pork liver

This is a winter dish, I usually prepare it together with sausages.

• Pork liver (4/500 grams)
• Little pork sausages
• Pork net: this is a my own translation as I have no idea of the English name of it: this is a fat part of the pork (and of all the mammals) which contains the entrails (as liver, stomach and so on.
• Bread like one baguette
• Sausages
• Bay (several leaves one each slice of bread)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Skewers

Cut the liver in pieces (as big as small/medium lemmon) mix with salt and pepper and place them into a bowl.
Place the pork net in a bowl with hot water
Cut the bread in slices ( about 2 cmt. each) and place them in another bowl
Wash the bay leaves and place in a little bowl
Separate the sausages and place in another bowl.
Now you have a lot of bowls or containers around you.
On a board spread the pork net, and cut one piece which could be rolled up around a piece of liver. Do it and go until you finish the liver.
Now take a skewer (as long as the baking tin you are going to use)
Skewer: one slice of bread, one bay leaf, one piece of liver, one bread, one sausage, one bread, one leaf and so on until you have ingredients.
Place the skewers into a baking tin, baste with olive oil and bake for 30/40 minutes, control frequently if the roast needs some water, if so baste it with a little water.

Polpette alla fiorentina = Florentine croquettes

My granny used to prepare this “polpette” when there was some food rest. My mother ad I did the same:

• The remaining part of boiled or roasted meat
• Stale bread
• Two eggs
• Peanut oil (only to fry I use this oil)
• Milk or water

Place two a three slices of stale bread into some milk and leave there until it is well soaked, mince the meat you have and place it in a bowl, wring well the bread, place it into the bowl, add the ages, a little salt and mix all together, warm up the oil and wher it is sizzling, prepare the croquettes with a spoon and place them into the oil, when they are golden brown, they are ready, eat them hot.

Trippa alla fiorentina = Florentine tripe

• Tripe (800 grams for 4/6 people)
• Peeled tomatoes (500 grams)
• One onion
• Grated Parmigiano
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Tripe is the muscular lining of the beef stomach Fresh tripe must be cooked at least 12 hours. Here in Florence you can also buy it pre- cooked. This dish is inexpensive and very good.
Cut the tripe into little strips (1/2 cm.), in a saucepan put the oil (8 spoons) and the minced onion, let it brown and then place the tripe, cook for about 15 minutes and then add the tomatoes, cook 40 minutes more it must have a soft consistency. Swith off the fire and add the grated parmesan, mix and leave for 5 minutes now add more parmesan and serve. The tripe is even better if you eat it after some hours and you heat it up again.

In Florence you can find little kiosks called “trippai” where you can buy and eat sandwiches with tripe and “lampredotto” dark and light honeycombed beef stomach, see more under the voice “TRIPPAI” after the Restaurants.

Cervello fritto = Fried brain (beef or sheep)

• One veal brain (about 600 grams)
• Flour
• One egg
• Olive oil
• Salt

This dish was often prepared for children who don’t love meat. Do not make yourself influenced by this part of an animal, this is delicious!
Clean carefully the brain using running hot water (this is the most tedious part) cut the brain in slices (2 cm) place in the beaten egg and dredge with flour. Fry and eat immediately.

Pollo alla cacciatora = Chicken hunters’ way

• One chicken
• Peeled tomatoes (500 grams)
• One onion
• One garlic colve
• Sage
• With wine
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Cut the chicken in pieces (two wings, two legs and so on), in a saucepan put the oil (8 spoons) and the minced onion, sage and garlic, let it brown and then place the chicken and brown all the pieces for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the white wine, and let it evaporate. Add the tomatoes and cook covered until the sauce is well thickened.

Involtini alla salvia = Roulades with sage

• Two or three slices of pork or turkey breast
• Two mortadella slices
• Slices of cheese (Edam)
• Sage leaves (one each slice of meat)
• Salt and pepper

Place the slices of meat on a board, salt, place on them a little piece of mortadella and on it a little bit of cheese, place a sage leaf on each chop and close them with two toothpicks, brown all and cook covered for about 40 minutes, if necessary sprinkle white wine or water.

Baccalà alla fiorentina = Dried cod Florentine way

• Dried salt cod (800 grams for 4/5 people)
• Peeled tomatoes (500 grams)
• One onion
• Garlic (3 coves)
• Parsley
• Flour
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Soak the dried cod the day before for all night long, or buy a ready one.
Bone well the fish and skin it off. Cut in pieces (5x7 centim)
Flour the pieces and fry them in little oil. Put the fried pieces on a paper to dry.

In a pan with 8 spoons of oil, place the minced garlic and the little slides of onion you prepared before, brown all and add the peeled tomatoes. Cook for 20 minutes. Place in this sauce the cod and simmer for 10 minutes more. Serve with a little minced parsley.