Trippa alla Romana

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Put the cleaned pre-cooked beef tripe, cut into 1 cm strips in a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then drain very well. This quick blanch refreshes the tripe and removes any stale aroma without overcooking it.

2. 2

   In a wide heavy casserole or deep saute pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the yellow onion, finely diced, carrot, finely diced, and celery stalk, finely diced. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and sweet but not browned; this soffritto should look glossy and lightly collapsed.

3. 3

   Add the garlic cloves, thinly sliced and dried chili flakes. Cook for 30 seconds just until fragrant, then add the drained tripe. Raise the heat to medium and stir for 2-3 minutes so the strips absorb the aromatic oil and begin to tighten slightly.

4. 4

   Pour in the dry white wine and let it bubble briskly until almost fully evaporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape the base of the pan as it reduces; the wine should lose its raw smell before you proceed.

5. 5

   Add the passata, water or light beef stock, torn fresh mint leaves, fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat so the sauce barely bubbles.

6. 6

   Cover partially and braise for 30 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes, until the tripe is fully tender and the tomato sauce has thickened enough to coat the strips. If the pan dries too quickly, add a splash of water; if too loose, uncover for the last few minutes to reduce.

7. 7

   Turn off the heat and rest the tripe for 5 minutes. Stir in half of the Pecorino Romano, finely grated so it melts into the sauce and gives it a savory, creamy body.

8. 8

   Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon into warm bowls and finish with the remaining Pecorino Romano, finely grated and the fresh mint leaves, finely sliced. Serve hot with crusty bread if desired.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Using pre-cooked tripe is the only realistic way to keep this dish within 60 minutes; raw tripe would require several hours of simmering.
• •Cut the vegetables very fine so they melt into the sauce rather than reading as separate chunks.
• •Trippa alla Romana should be saucy but not soupy; the final texture is a thick braise, not a thin tomato stew.
• •A little mint is traditional and essential: it lifts the richness of the tripe and pecorino.
• •Serve with toasted country bread or roasted potatoes to catch the sauce.

Background