Peposo all’Imprunetina, Tuscany

Peposo all’Imprunetina - Tuscany

Tuscan cuisine is known worldwide for its meat dishes, such as the “Bistecca alla Fiorentina”, a high flank of beef meat that must be cooked rare. In every restaurant it is possible to find high quality meat cuts, but the tuscan cooking skill really comes out when it comes to poor meat cuts, like the ones used for the Peposo.

A taste of History

Also known as “ Peposo alla Fornacina”, this Italian beef stew dates back to the years of Filippo Brunelleschi, the architect that built the church of Saint Mary of the Flower. It is rumored that during the construction of the famous Brunelleschi’s Dome, the “fornacini” (men that worked at the furnace) cooked this dish in the oven alongside tiles and bricks. Others said that Brunelleschi himself arranged for the dish to be brought to the workers to avoid them wasting time in the local taverns.

The truth behind these anecdotes is the common practice of making the most of what you have, even when it comes to cooking and ingredients: so the workers placed the claypot near the furnace opening, and while they worked a filling meal was being prepared. Whoever lifted the lid would have found beef meat stewing in red wine and a generous amount of pepper, ideal to mask the smell and taste of meat that is beginning to spoil. The absence of tomato in the recipe should not surprise: it was brought from the Americas only in the XVI century as an ornamental plant.

How to Taste Tuscany at Home

The Peposo all’Imprunetina is an easy recipe but it takes a lot of patience, because of its long cooking time. Ideal for a Sunday lunch, it is perfect to taste the flavours of the florentine area.

Ingredients for 4 servings

  • 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) beef skank
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Water, as needed
  • red wine, preferably a Chianti wine
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • Fine salt, to taste

 

Steps

  1. Cut the meat into walnut-sized pieces and brown it in a pan (in its own fat).
  2. When the meat is well browned, add red wine, enough to cover it generously along with whole peppercorns and garlic. Then, add salt to taste.
  3. The cooking, which can be done either in the oven or on the stovetop over a very low flame with a heat diffuser, should continue until the meat is completely tender and broken down. It should take from 2 to 3 hours based on your stove. It is recommended to check the meat periodically until it has a creamy, spreadable texture. It is perfect on slices of toasted Tuscan bread.