Rebirth to the Renaissance Stew “Peposo dell’Impruneta”

PEPOSO DELL’IMPRUNETA

Tuscan cuisine is simple, incredibly flavorful, and very delicious. What a privilege to grow up in the hills of Tuscany and be exposed not only to breathtaking views, but also to the unique flavors of Italian cuisine.

Come travel with me!

Today I will not only teach you on how to prepare this timeless and delicious dish, but I will also give you a little history to the origins of PEPOSO. Let me take you back to the place and to the flavors I so love. Allow me to give PEPOSO a rebirth into your kitchen.

Following are the simple steps on how to prepare this very delicious and timeless stew called Peposo dell’Impruneta.

The ingredients are few and simple.

• 1 kg marbled meat (chuck roast that has been cubed)
• a generous amount of black pepper, about 1Tbsp
• 6-8 cloves of garlic
• a sprig of rosemary and a few leaves of sage
• red Chianti wine – enough to cover the meat completely
• tomato puree or tomato paste (optional)
• salt to taste

RECIPE:

To make this dish you simply combine all the above ingredients in a pot, preferably a terra-cotta pot with a lid, and place it in the wood-fired oven at medium / low temperature for about 4 hours.

It is best if you choose a marbled cut as this is the ideal meat for the Peposo. Cube the meat.

Choose the following spices and place them over the meat:

pepper, garlic, sage, rosemary, and salt to taste.

Place the marbled meat in a terra cotta pot. You can also use a Dutch oven with a lid. Add the spices, herbs, garlic and salt.

Now you can pour a bottle of red wine over the meat until everything is completely covered. Make sure to place the lid over the pot.

It is time to place the Peposo in the Fontana wood-fired oven for four hours at medium / low temperature.

Here is the Peposo after 3 hours of simmering while covered with a lid.

You will find the stew reduced and tender after four hours of simmering in the oven.

Slice the bread, toast each piece and drizzle it with olive oil. The bread in the image was baked in the Fontana wood-fired oven. By the way, it is best if the bread is 2 to 3 days old.

Now it is time to place the Peposo on the toasted bread and enjoy it with a glass of wine. There are many ways to serve this stew. It can also be serve as an entree, as a meat sauce on tagliatelle, or served with rice, or polenta.

Allow Peposo to have a REBIRTH in your home and kitchen.

Enjoy!

Do you have a timeless dish that can be prepared in a wood-fired oven?

Send us your favorite recipe to be tested in our Italian made wood-fired oven.

Now a little History on the Origins of the PEPOSO

What about some history behind this delicious and timeless dish? PEPOSO is a brilliant, yet simple stew that speaks of history dating back to the very time of Filippo Brunelleschi, the greatest architect and engineer of the early Italian Renaissance. In 1436 he was chosen to complete the famous cupola, or dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, the beautiful cathedral of Florence, Italy. To cover the dome of this magnificent Cathedral, Brunelleschi chose the red TERRACOTTA from Impruneta.

Here is the ‘cupola’ of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy, my hometown!

Come with me. As we drive through the rolling hills of Tuscany, you finally come to the small town of Impruneta.

Welcome to Impruneta.

Impruneta, is a very small, and quaint town nestled outside the city of Florence. Why did Filippo Brunelleschi need to visit Impruneta you may ask? CLAY. This very town is to this day world renown for the exceptional GALESTRO clay that gives the pottery its unique characteristics of solidity and resistance to freezing temperatures. Brunelleschi chose the carefully handcrafted work of the experienced FORNACINI, the very artisans of Impruneta who were put in charge for the firing of the tiles to cover the cupola. He was known to visit this town frequently to supervise the production of the terra-cotta tiles.

For the entire collection of authentic, handcrafted Italian vases and urns visit Tuscan Imports inc.

Let me introduce you to master potter and friend Enzo Zago making an anfora bombata.

Orcio Festonato Gigante made by Enzo Zago

Now, what does all of this have to do with Peposo? It is no wonder that Brunelleschi not only had a keen knowledge for the best clay in the world, but also for good wine and the rustic flavor of this timeless dish. As the wood-fired ovens were hot for the firing of the terra cotta tiles as well as urns and vases, the hungry workers were often known to use the less desirable cuts of meat that were available to them. The meat was covered with a generous amount of local Chianti wine, seasoned with salt, rosemary, sage, garlic, and a substantial and liberal amount of pepper. Thus the name PEPOSO, “pepe” being the Italian word for PEPPER. To tell the truth, the pepper was used to cover up any possible unpleasant flavor of the meat, as often it was not fresh due to lack of refrigeration. The Fornacini then cooked the stew in covered terra-cotta pots at the mouth of the ovens where it then transformed into the delicious Renaissance stew called PEPOSO. To this day Florence and Impruneta pride themselves in this timeless and delicious dish.

Interesting fact: At the time of Brunelleschi no tomato sauce was added to this dish simply because the import of tomatoes from America was still far to come. The Americas had not yet been discovered. Today the PEPOSO has at times also been complemented with some tomatoes or tomato paste, which adds a delicious rich flavor and beautiful color.

What other timeless dishes can we honour and bring back to our kitchens with a Rebirth? Do you have one you would be willing to share to be prepared in our wood-fired oven?