Guido Pedrelli, the mastermind behind Nonna Box, has honed his culinary expertise for decades, inspired by family feasts in Emilia-Romagna. Mentored by his restaurateur nonna, he mastered Italian classics and furthered his skills with professional culinary studies in desserts and gelato making from Mec3. Today, he shares this rich legacy and authentic recipes through Nonna Box.
Expertise: Italian cuisine, Pasta, Pizza, Pastry, Dessert
I have been to Tuscany several times during my childhood. However, I don’t remember much about those trips, but each time I’m Florence I remember a particular meal I had with my parents. Because it was an outstanding piece of meat – rich, tasty with meat so tenderthat you could cut it with a spoon! So when you go to Florence, take care to choose a reputable restaurant because there are plenty of fakes out there.
WHAT IS BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA?
The secret of the meat lies in the breed of cattle – theChianinacattle – they are the huge white oxen that are raised near Arezzo in theValdichiana. The steaks are huge and because of the size of the animal, a steak can easily way 2 ½ kg. Of course, if you don’t live in Florence and can’t get hold of this breed, go to your local butcher and choose the best meat they have – enjoy!
Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak)
Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Steak Florentine) is probably the most famous Italian meat recipe.
4Very thick steaksporterhouse of T-bone & look for a steak that’s just under a kg and cut about 4 cm thick
Top quality sea salt – like Fleur de Sel de Guérande
Searing hot coals made from a hard wood
Freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
PREPARE THE GRILL
Make sure the coals are quite hot – you should not be able to hold your hand over the coals for more than about 4 seconds; put the grill about 10cm over the coals and let it heat up.
PREPARE THE STEAK
If the steak comes right out of the fridge, it will cook a little longer than something that is, already, at room temperature – I like meat cooked from room temperature. For the perfect steak florentine, leave the steak at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior cooking it.
COOK THE BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA
Pop the steak onto the grill so that it can sear & then lift the grill but don’t move the steak; it can only be flipped once it comes off the grill easily – flip it off & onto a plate and salt liberally (you’re salting the seared side so that the salt can’t draw out the excess moisture) and then pop the other side onto the grill.
Continue in this fashion: a few minutes on, flip, lightly pepper, salt, flip and so on – you know the drill.
It’s very important that the heat remains constant so fan the coals back to life if the look as if they’re going to die (which they shouldn’t if you’ve made a decent fire).
It should cook in a few minutes & when the steak is done it should still be rare – but it’s all a matter of taste.
Notes
Slice it with the best kitchen knife you have. Serve a with a little pat of butter or olive oil and with a lemon wedge & a tossed green salad, a dish of simply boiled cannellini beans and served with olive oil, salt and pepper and good Chianti Classico Riserva or a Brunello.
To check whether meat is ready, use your fingers to prod the meat: when rare, it will feel soft and squishy; medium-rare should be only lightly bouncy and well done will feel much firmer (you should not cook a Fiorentina to this stage) – someone told me the following once and whilst I don’t bother with it much, it may help you:
Press gently near the base of the thumb (the fleshy bit called the mound of Venus) with the index finger of the other hand – that’s what rare meat feels like.
Press in the center of the palm: medium.
Press at the outside edge of the hand at the pinkie knuckle: well done.
these steaks are made with a specific breed of Tuscan. cacto called canina. it's very tender meat, marbled ever so slightly, meaning that it stays tender when it's rare. and it will be a shame to overcook it.
Bistecca alla fiorentina is obtained from the cut of the sirloin (the part corresponding to the lumbar vertebrae, the half of the back on the side of the tail) of a young steer or heifer of the Chianina breed: in the middle it has the T-shaped bone, that is, a T-bone steak, with the fillet on one side and the sirloin ...
The ultimate treat for Florentines is Bistecca alla Fiorentina. I think it deserves a good wine. Foreigners would choose a full bodied Brunello or Chianti Classico riserva, but the locals will say that a simple Chianti Classico is the perfect match. The steak is the star here and the wine is the supporting actor.
T-bone steak (Fiorentina): what it is, how to cook and where to buy online. The T-bone steak is a typical dish of Italian and international culinary art of Florentine origin. Its fame derives, above all, from the cut of Chianina meat, a prized breed of cattle from Arezzo and Siena.
You are supposed to share it with other dining companions. Only someone with a hefty apetite can really eat the entire steak on their own as even the thickness of the steak is quite impressive.
In the wake of the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease, the EU banned the sale of the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, prohibiting cuts from cows over 12 months old (the Fiorentinacomes from cows of around 18 months) and which had the bone still attached. The Italians however—ever able to interpret laws as mere guidelines—improvised.
How much does Florentine steak cost? The price varies between 35 to 60 euro, depending on the breed of cow (the chianina, for example, is relatively expensive).
The Bistecca Alla Fiorentina is a huge 2 ½ to 3-pound porterhouse steak with a New York strip steak on one side and a filet mignon on the other. It was originally founded in Florence, Tuscany, and to be true to this recipe. It must feature the porterhouse steak. Anything else strips it of its authenticity.
Traditional sides are roast potatoes, sautéed spinach or silverbeet and white cannellini beans – and plenty of Tuscan bread to mop up the juices. The perfect bistecca fiorentina: It must be eaten rare. That means not just blushing pink inside, but bloody.
If you are not happy with a very rare steak, it's probably best not to order a Bistecca alla Fiorentina. In order to get the inside well cooked, the outside will be as tough as old boots and possibly crunchy, too!
After cooking, the meat should rest for around 10 minutes, so the juices redistribute, before being cut into slices using a smooth blade knife and served. Florentines never, ever eat a bistecca well-cooked.
The origin of the meat is chianina race which is a very selected variety of cow. Meat is not seasoned but cooked directly for preserving its own taste. No bbq sauce, no Dijon , just the taste of this excellent meat. That's why it has to be eaten rare o little grilled , but raw inside.
Porterhouse (NOT T-Bone) is always a premium cut. T-Bones have less to no filet on the other side of the vertical of the bone. The most expensive steaks are usually porterhouse, which is a combination of being a good, popular cut AND large serving sizes.
The steak is typically from Chianina cattle — an ancient Tuscan breed known for its prized and tasty meat — seasoned with local spices and grilled over red-hot coals. It's traditionally served “rare,” but we won't judge if you ask for medium.
They're both cuts of the same steak, taken from the short loin. The porterhouse, on the other hand, is larger because it comes from the bigger side of the tenderloin.
But above all Florentine: steak has made a pact with the city. It is Florence's most famous dish in the world even though the name has English origins.
Introduction: My name is Gregorio Kreiger, I am a tender, brainy, enthusiastic, combative, agreeable, gentle, gentle person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
