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Beef Spezzatino is the traditional beef stew of Italy.
There are different types of stew based on both the type of meat used, which can be veal, beef, lamb or pork, and the sauce and aromas with which it is accompanied.
This simple second course normally involves slow cooking; in this case I cooked the veal stew with potatoes for two hours in a casserole.
You can combine the chosen meat with legumes, vegetables, spices and original ingredients such as chicken stew in dark beer or Barolo stew. A small but important tip is to brown the vegetables and veal separately: in this way you will avoid burning the sautรฉ which requires different cooking times and temperatures than the meat.
If you prefer a simple version of the stew, you can replace the tomato paste with another ingredient, such as peas, or simply omit it.
Beef Spezzatinoย started as a humble peasant dish. It was a perfect example of the Italian culinary tradition of โcucina povera,โ which literally means โpoor kitchen.โ This tradition is about making the most of simple, available, and often inexpensive ingredients, turning them into dishes that are rich in flavor.
More hearty beef recipes:
These recipes are comforting, warm, and perfect for cooler weather, just like the Beef Spezzatino!
- Ragu with pappardelle โ Ground beef in white sauce and tossed with pappardelle ribbons.
- Crockpot Beef Stew โ Beef braised in red wine with carrots, peas onions.
- Baked Aneletti โ Ring shaped pasta with layers of ragรน and bรฉchamel sauce, mozzarella, eggplants and peas.
Recommended items for this dish:
The Chef's flour is a general purpose, high gluten flour that works well for many recipes. You can use it for pizza crust, pasta making, bread, and pastries.
Partanna Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made with Nocellara del Belice olives also known as Castelvetrano Olives in Sicily, Italy
Beef Spezzatino
Description
Italian Beef Stew (Spezzatino di Manzo) is the perfect comfort food during cooler months.ย Chuck beef is braised until tender in a hearty stew of carrots, potatoes, onions and wine.
It's perfect served with creamy polenta, and a chunk of crusty bread!
Ingredients
Instructions
Cut the onion into julienne strips and add it to the pan with a knob of butter and extra virgin olive oil. Brown for a few minutes.
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In the meantime, pat the beef cubes dry with a paper towel and coat them with the flour.
Choose to buy it already cut from your trusted butcher or you can buy a whole piece of veal and cut it into uniform pieces with a sharp knife- When the onion is golden brown, add the meat. Stir for a couple of minutes to sear the beef on all sides.
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Deglaze with wine.
When the wine is completely absorbed, add the potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and sautรฉ with a couple of minutes.
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Cover the meat and potatoes with broth or hot water and cover with a lid and turn the heat to low. Then, let simmer for two hours stirring occasionally.
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- The stew is ready when the meat becomes very tender and you can almost tear it apart with a fork. At this point, the sauce should be quite thick. Turn off the heat and serve hot with some good bread.
You can add fresh Italian parsley to garnish the dish!
Note
You can decide the density: add more broth or water if you want it more "brothy", less if you want it thicker and creamier. In both cases, very good!
Consume within 2/3 days and store in an airtight container.
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