Here's an unusual recipe from Pellegrino Artusi's Scienza in Cucina e l'Arte di Mangiar Bene:
"This dish is derived from a cookbook printed in 1694," he says. "It will no doubt seem strange to you, and just the mention of tripe might make you fear to try it; however, despite its trifling nature, its seasonings make it tasty and keep it from being a burden on the stomach."
"This dish is derived from a cookbook printed in 1694," he says. "It will no doubt seem strange to you, and just the mention of tripe might make you fear to try it; however, despite its trifling nature, its seasonings make it tasty and keep it from being a burden on the stomach."
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 3/4 pound (300 g) boiled tripe
- 1/4 pound (100 g) lean prosciutto
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
- 1 ounce (25 g) beef morrow
- 2 eggs
- A small bunch parsley
- A pinch each of ground spices (substitute allspice) and nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons of a thick paste made with bread soaked in either broth or milk
- 2-3 tablespoons tomato sauce
Preparation:
Mince the tripe as fine as possible. Do the same with the prosciutto, the morrow, and the parsley, then stir in the eggs and the other ingredients, seasoning the mixture with salt. Divide the mixture into twelve to thirteen patties, which will be enough for four people, roll them in flour, and fry them in oil or lard.
Now mince a scant quarter of a medium-sized onion and sauté it in 1/4 cup butter. Once the onion has browned, add the meat balls, and when they're heated through, sprinkle them with a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce. Cover the meat balls and simmer them for ten minutes, adding water if necessary and turning them once or twice. Dust them with grated cheese and serve them with their sauce. The original recipe also calls for raisins and pine nuts, but they can be omitted with no loss.
The wine? A light, zesty red, for example a Valpolicella Classico, an unoaked Barbera, or a Chianti Classico d'annata.
Note: Raisins and pine nuts were common in Italian Renaissance cooking, and occur frequently in recipes from the 17th and 18th centuries as well. The combination is now in disfavor in the north, though it is still used in the south.
Now mince a scant quarter of a medium-sized onion and sauté it in 1/4 cup butter. Once the onion has browned, add the meat balls, and when they're heated through, sprinkle them with a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce. Cover the meat balls and simmer them for ten minutes, adding water if necessary and turning them once or twice. Dust them with grated cheese and serve them with their sauce. The original recipe also calls for raisins and pine nuts, but they can be omitted with no loss.
The wine? A light, zesty red, for example a Valpolicella Classico, an unoaked Barbera, or a Chianti Classico d'annata.
Note: Raisins and pine nuts were common in Italian Renaissance cooking, and occur frequently in recipes from the 17th and 18th centuries as well. The combination is now in disfavor in the north, though it is still used in the south.
