Italian best regional recipes: Peposo (Tuscany)

Peposo is a traditional Tuscan dish. The long slow cooked beef cheeks are simmered in red wine (the suggestion is Italian Chianti). Here’s the recipe from Chefs Stefano Manfredi and Gabriele Taddeucci – Balla, The Star. The dish is quite peppery, but the pepper doesn’t dominate; it’s more of a pepper afterglow.

The unctuous and tender fall apart beef was served at the restaurant this week on the launch of the Italian Regional Dinners; Tuscany is the region that is featured throughout June.

Peposo

2kg beef cheeks, cut in 3cm cubes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
1 carrot cut in 1cm dice
2 celery stalks cut in 1cm dice
1 red onion cut in 1cm dice
1 heaped tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 litre Chianti (or other red wine)
500ml veal stock
salt

Place cubed beef in a casserole pan with garlic, onion, carrot, celery and just cover meat with some red wine. Bring to a simmer and keep simmering for 2 hours partly covered with a lid. Add pepper, tomato paste, bay leaves and the rest of the wine and veal stock. Add 2-3 good pinches of salt and stir in. Keep simmering gently, uncovered for 2 or more hours until sauce has reduced and thickened. If it dries out too much and catches on the bottom, stir in a little more vealvstock. When cooked, check seasoning and add a little more salt if needed. Serve with polenta or crusty bread.

Serves 6 as a main course.

Other regions of Italy will be featured each month:

July – Piedmont (and truffles)
August – Lombardia
September – Sicily
October – Emilia Romanga
November – Puglia
December – Buon Natale traditional Italian Christmas menu

Osteria Balla
80 Pyrmont Street Pyrmont
+ 61 2 9777 9000