Sangiovese Stew ( Stufato alla Sangiovannese)

astrolab

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History of the "Stufato alla sangiovannese"

The Stufato alla sangiovannese served in the Saloni della Basilica -Florence, and only there - on the various Sundays during the Uffizi del Carnevale, has its own history. No ancient records exist but its story survives from the personal accounts of those who have long been involved in its preparation and presentation.

At the beginning of this century there were some workmen who were excellent cooks working in local factories such as the Ferriera, the Ceramica, the Fornaci Bagiardi - people like Virgilio Aldinuzzi (1888-1953), Giuseppe Forconi (1887-1945) and Carlo Bettoni (1906-1966).They sometimes cooked stews made from cubes of veal instead of the more traditional offal. In 1915, during the war, Aldinuzzi went to Lybia where he became the cook for his regiment. Here he discovered the use of spices, as well as learning to cook for many people. When he returned home to San Giovanni,Tuscany, he cooked his recipe with veal and spices, first for the workmen at the Ferriera, the local foundry, and later for the people who went to the Saloni della Basilica during the Uffizi del Carnevale.

Ingredients:
Veal shanks500gr
1 chopped onions,
celery,
half carrot
parsley,
separately fine-chopped garlic and lemon peel, salt, pepper and spices and a little nutmeg, soup bones, olive oil, red wine and a little tomato paste.

Preparation
The "secret" is difficult to explain because it depends on a series of important aspects, such as:

- the quantity and type of meat
- the type of pot (terracotta or aluminium is recommended)
- the ladle (only wood) with which everything is stirred
- and finally the hand that stirs it

Notwithstanding this, place the meat in the pot with the oil and the two chopped ingredients. Add the salt, pepper, the common spices and the nutmeg. Mix it all with the ladle and then place it over the heat.

Separately, place the soup bones and water and bring them to a slow boil.

Brown the meat and other ingredients in the pot well until the oil at the bottom doesn’t appear transparent. At this point, add enough red wine to cover the meat and allow it to evaporate under a strong flame. When it has reduced and taken on a brown colour, add just enough of the tomato paste not to turn the meat too red.

The broth is added bit by bit as required by the mixture.

Fifteen minutes before the mixture is cooked, add a little nutmeg. Then allow it to slowly boil for about four hours.
 
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