Venetian Cuisine / Pastissada De Manzo

The cuisine is an important part of the culture of Veneto. This northern Italian region is home to some of the most recognizable dishes, desserts, and wines in Italian cuisine.

Although seafood is abundant in the area due to the region’s coastal location, today I am going to present a dish from the inner part of the region. The dish is quite popular in all areas of Veneto and is often served on special occasions. Pastissada de Manzo is one of the tastiest dishes to originate from the peasant stoves of Veneto. It seems that the recipe originated in the Veronese area of the region. It is a stew prepared with beef (I believe horse meat was originally used, and the dish was called Pastissada de Cav, which may be a shortened version of the Italian word for horse (Cavallo). The meat is cooked after marinating in red wine and then flavoring it with spices and aromatics such as carrot, onion, and celery.

To understand more about this recipe, it is worth delving into its history. The Pastissada de Manzo, according to tradition, has a precise day of birth. It was on September 30, 489 AD. A gruesome battle took place between the king of Italy Odoacer and the Ostrogothic king Theodoric. After the ghastly clash, many wounded horses littered the ground. The people, compelled by near starvation, salvaged the meat intending to repurpose it as a provision. To solve the problem of the conservation of this less than desirable meat, it was processed by macerating the meat in red wine with the addition of spices. By cooking this preparation on low heat, it was possible to tolerate consuming the meat. Hench the creation of pastissada de cav which later became Pastissada de Manzo, when people began using beef to make the dish instead of horse meat.

This dish is normally served with a side of polenta. Some people prefer the polenta soft while others mold the polenta into cakes and grill, bake or fry it until it has developed a golden crust but maintains a soft interior.

The ingredients:

• Two pounds of stewing beef trimmed. I used a brisket to make the one shown here.

• One large onion thinly sliced

• One large carrot peeled and cut into large pieces

• Three celery stalks cut into large pieces

• One 750 ml bottle of good red wine

• Three whole cloves

• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• Five black peppercorns or juniper berries

• Five ounces of lardons cut into small pieces. I used guanciale. One can substitute pancetta or good quality bacon instead.

• Three tablespoons of tomato paste

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the beef in a large zip lock bag adding the red wine, carrot, celery, onion, peppercorns or juniper berries, clove, and cinnamon.

Mix in the bag, seal the bag, place the closed bag in a shallow baking dish, and put it in the refrigerator. Allow the meat to marinate for at least 24 hours occasionally turning the bag to make certain all the meat is evenly exposed to the marinade.

After the meat has finished marinating remove the meat from the bag reserving the marinade. You will be using this later. Dry the meat thoroughly by using paper towels to blot the excess moisture from the surface.

Using the tip of a small sharp knife cut small holes about every inch or so in the meat, Stuff the holes with the lardons pushing the lardons deep into the meat. Hands and fingers work best for this process.

Separate the wine from the vegetables. Heat a heavy bottom casserole on the stove and add some oil. Begin by searing the meat on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot. Place the vegetables in the heated oil and sauté for a few minutes releasing the fond that the searing of the meat created. Add the wine and the meat to the pot.

Take a ladle of the hot marinade from the pot place in a small bowl and mix the tomato paste into it. Return the tomato infused marinade to the cooking pot.

Cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook for about three hours until the meat is tender but not so that it is falling apart.

When the meat has reached the desired stage remove it from the pot and allow it to rest covered with foil wrap.

Continue cooking the marinade and the vegetables until it has reduced by half and thicken to a velvety sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Slice the meat and place it on a large serving platter topping it with the vegetables and sauce. Serve with a side of polenta.

At this point, all that remains is to run to the kitchen to prepare this special dish, a true tribute to the richness of Italian cuisine, and to that extraordinary mix of flavors and aromas that, when it arrives at the table, can only conquer! Your guests will be delighted by this tasty, healthy, and rich in history dish. Seeing is believing! You will not regret it!

Other Regional Specialties:

Cheeses

Cheeses of Veneto include: Asiago, Piave, Monte Veronese, Morlacco, Grana Padano.

Salamis and Meats

Sopressa Vicentina is an aged salami, cylindrical in shape, and prepared with raw, quality pork meat. It may or may not include garlic in its ingredients. Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo is obtained from the fresh meat of a top breed of adult hogs. The aroma is delicate, sweet, and fragrant.

Vegetables

Radicchio Rosso di Treviso is a peculiar vegetable with a faintly bitter taste and a crunchy texture. The production area encompasses many town districts in the provinces of Treviso, Padua, and Venice. The radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco has a delicate and slightly sweet taste and a crunchy texture. Veronese Vialone Nano Rice from Verona is a type of rice with short, plump grains, which have a creamy consistency when cooked. They are commonly used in risotto dishes and have a high starch content. The Bean of Lamon is particularly prized for its delicate flavor and extremely tender skin. The White Asparagus of Cimadolmo has a characteristic scent and a very delicate taste. The White Asparagus of Bassano is a typical product of the northern part of the province of Vicenza.

Desserts

Tiramisù (a dessert made from mascarpone, coffee, Marsala wine, savoiardi and chocolate) originates from Veneto.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this article and will try this recipe in your own kitchen.

Please share this article and if you haven't already subscribed to my website you can easily do so by going to the login page or entering your e-mail address at the bottom of the homepage.

Alla prossima!

Buon cibo and buon appetito!

Chef John