L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano I l P e p o s o , a l s o k n o w n a s P e p o s o d e l C h i a n t i o r Peposo alla For- nacina, is a deeply d e l i c i o u s b e e f s t e w f r o m Tuscany which was tradi- t i o n a l l y p r e p a r e d b y k i l n w o r k e r s o f t h e C h i a n t i region. The men spent long hours by the kiln making terracotta tiles and utensils and they took advantage of the heat from their ovens to slow cook the meat in pots p l a c e d j u s t o u t s i d e t h e kilns. Fornace is an Italian w o r d f o r k i l n , h e n c e t h e name Peposo alla Fornaci- na. Peposo is a very easy dish to prepare. It can be cooked either in a terracotta pot in the oven or in a pot with a heavy lid on the stove. For this dish, you need a "poor" cut of meat rather than a t e n d e r , g o o d q u a l i t y c u t , w h i c h w o u l d m e l t i n t h e slow cooking process. Traditionally, Peposo was made with scraps of beef LETIZIA MATTIACCI meat that were relatively inexpensive. Stewing steak is ideal, better still if it con- tains a bit of fat. If you can o n l y f i n d a p r i m e c u t o f beef, then it will be neces- sary to reduce the cooking time. With the right type of meat, you will typically need 2-3 hours. I n g r e d i e n t s ( S e r v e s 2 - 3): • 2 tablespoon olive oil • 4 cloves garlic • 1 tablespoon black pep- percorns • 1 handful of sage leaves • 4 5 0 g ( 1 l b ) o f b e e f meat, cut in approx. 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes • 1/2 lt (2 cups) of Chianti wine • 1 lt (4 cups) hot water Procedure: Preheat the olive oil in a h e a v y c a s s e r o l e p o t a n d b r i e f l y s a u t é t h e g a r l i c c l o v e s . A d d t h e p e p p e r - corns, the sage and the meat and sear for 5 minutes, until t h e m e a t h a s a n e v e n brownish color on all sides. Pour in the wine, cover, and let it simmer on very low heat or in the oven at 150 °C (300 F°) for about 1 hour. When the wine starts to reduce, add 4 cups (1 lt) hot water and allow to sim- mer slowly for 2 additional hours, checking regularly to see that the liquid has not evaporated completely. If the liquid dries up, add some more water to cover the meat. After 2 to 2 1/2 hours, remove the lid, and let the liquid evaporate until the meat is left in a thick brown juice. There is usual- ly no need to add salt. Y o u c o u l d a d d a f e w tomatoes to the meat, which results in a creamier dish, a n d s e r v e i t o n s t a l e o r toasted crusty bread. If you choose to do that, don't let the juices evaporate com- pletely. Il Peposo is best accom- panied by a good, hearty red wine, and possibly a salad to balance the rich taste of the meat. L e t i z i a M a t t i a c c i i s a cookbook author and owner of Alla Madonna del Piatto C o o k i n g S c h o o l a n d A g r i t u r i s m o i n A s s i s i , U m b r i a , h t t p s : / / i n c a m - pagna.com. This recipe has been previously published in Mrs. Mattiacci cookbook entitled "A Kitchen with a v i e w . " R e c i p e b y G l o r i a Cappelli. Peposo beef is a heart-warming dish from Umbria and Tuscany (Photo:Ppy2010ha/Dreamstime) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES Peposo beef: a delicious black pepper stew

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