Beef Spezzatino
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 sauté 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 Spezzatino started as a humble peasant dish. It was a perfect example of the Italian culinary tradition of 'cucina povera,' which literally means 'poor kitchen.' 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 – Ground beef in white sauce and tossed with pappardelle ribbons.
- Crockpot Beef Stew – Beef braised in red wine with carrots, peas onions.
- Baked Aneletti - Ring shaped pasta with layers of ragù and béchamel sauce, mozzarella, eggplants and peas.
Recommended items for this dish:
Italian Beef Stew (Spezzatino di Manzo) is the perfect comfort food during cooler months. 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!
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp knob of butter
- 1 1 onion
- 4 1 small potatoes
- 1 lb beef chuck (cut into 1-inch cubes) (or any other stew meat)
- 1/3 cup flour to dust
- 1 1 glass of white wine
- 1 cup hot water (or broth)
- salt&pepper (to taste)
- fresh Italian parsley (optional)
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.
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.
Deglaze with wine.
When the wine is completely absorbed, add the potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and sauté with a couple of minutes.
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.
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!
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.
