Sunday, August 24, 2008

BISTECCA ALLA PIZZAIOLA


Bistecca alla pizzaiola: a classic of Neapolitan cuisine, yet these days it is hard to find a recipe for it, among all the rubbish featuring complicated dishes that gets published under the clasification, "Italian cookery". What so many of these authors and their publishers forget is that the primary characteristic of most Italian cookery is that it is simple.

The doyenne of cookery writers, Elizabeth David, of course gives us a pizzaiola recipe, in Italian Food, the volume that, famously, woke the British up to the fact that good food still existed in the postwar era. Valentina Harris [a cook whose earlier books I prefer to her later tomes] also has one, in Italian Regional Cookery. I have mixed the two recipes and added some "Welshcakes" touches!

Here we can buy a pizzaiola cut of beef steak, but if you can't, you need to ask for the widest, thinnest cut possible. Yesterday I was lucky enough to get 4 enormous pieces [which would probably serve 6] for 5.68 euros and they really were so big that I had to cut them in half again!

When I make a pizzaiola, I like to deal with the sauce first: if you want to be a purist, you may use skinned and deseeded tomatoes or your own passata, but for this I find a couple of cans of cherry tomatoes, with their juice, much less trouble and perfectly adequate. Chuck these in a saucepan along with about a tablespoon of olive oil, 2 cloves sliced garlic, some seasalt and ground black pepper and a good handful each of not too finely chopped basil and parsley. You can add some dried oregano too, if you like [and I do!] plus some olives [my touch]. Swirl all this around while it cooks for a few minutes, then take it off the heat.

Now season the meat and cook it in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a wide pan or griddle. [I like to griddle mine.] Whatever you do, do not overcook it. I throw the pieces into the sauce as they are done but authentic recipes will tell you to serve up the meat, then add the sauce. Most Italian cooks would probably let it all cool a little at this point but I serve the dish immediately.
Buon appetito!

21 comments:

CherryPie said...

Mmm! I think your way sounds better!

Anonymous said...

as you can imagine I have immediately whipped up a portion!

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Love the sound of that, yes your way seems the easiest!!

So simple and I bet very very tasty!! What do you serve it with?

Dragonstar said...

You make it all sound so easy - and delicious! I know nothing about Italian cookery (my menfolk are very conservative where food is concerned!) but I think I must start learning.

We're doing OK thanks. Just keep hearing sounds ... How's Simi doing?

Nunyaa said...

Looks delicious, I love the way you word it...chuck ...makes me smile, wonder if I tried this would it look as good as yours :)

Indigo-Daisy said...

I would always get quite frustrated with complicated recipes that were said to be authentic Italian. The simpler the better!

Richard Havers said...

Elizabeth David is a gem.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Grazie, cherrypie. I can indeed, Mutley. Thanks, Anne. I don't think it needs to be served with anything, other thsn a refreshing salad afterwards in the Italian way. Thank you, dragonstar. Simi is fine, thank you, but hoping we are now having the last of the extreme heat, as am I. I'm sure it would, nunyaa and I don't know of any recipe that doesn't benefit from a litle chucking and throwing! I agree, indigo-daisy. Indeed she is, RH.

Maria said...

Gosh that looks so delicious! I am feeling a bit hungry now! lol Well a lot hungry now!

lol

M

Liz Hinds said...

That really is simple, isn't it? I must try that. Thank you, Welshcakes.

marymaryquitecontrary said...

This will be on my menu this week. I will serve it with a little ciabatta to mop up the juices. Yum!

Trubes said...

Wow! Welshcakes, that looks delicious...mouth watering indeed!
I do some thing similar with a piece of sirlion steak and add anchovies to the sauce....It's one of Antonio Carluccio's recipes, (he's one of my favourite Italian chefs).
I like Valentina Harris and have her barbecue Cookbook which is very good.
I used to enjoy her TV programme.

Di.xx
love to Simi from Chloe xx

Gledwood said...

Oooo!

Whispering Walls said...

Sounds delicious, WL.

James Higham said...

Gosh, with all that cooking, Welshcakes, whatever time do you eat?

:)

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

WL...canned Pumpkin..Waitrose online shopping :-)

We only have small Waitrose here, but I am going to have a look !!!!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Thanks, M and Liz. Ciabatta sounds an excellent addition, MM. Ciao, Trubes and thank you. I love Carluccio, too. Got your email and will reply tomorrow. Love to you all from Simi and me xx Ciao, Gleds x Thanks, WW. At civilised, Mediterranean hours as you know, James! Thanks, anne. I will check that out.

jmb said...

That looks really delicious Welshcakes and not too much trouble which is what concerns me these days. Getting lazy in my old age!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Well , you are much younger than me in spirit, jmb, so you will have fun preparing this dish!

Sean Jeating said...

Cooked - eaten - delicious!
Thanks for the recipe, Lady Limoncello. :)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I am flattered, Lord Sean!

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