Little Italy

The wonderful Brenda sent me a copy of Alastair Little’s Italian Kitchen: Recipes from “La Cacciata” (Alastair Little), a few months ago, and I’m ashamed to admit that yesterday was the first time I’d actually cooked from it.

I bought a lovely piece of organic hip bone steak from my local butcher “The Butcher, The Baker, The Ice Cream Maker” and some organic Romano potatoes and was contemplating how to cook these delightful items when my mind drifted back to one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever eaten in Italy; Tagliata and Patate al Forno, which I had at the Villaluisa a small family run hotel in Todi, Umbria (Italy).

Although I only spent two days in Todi I was totally spellbound, I fell in love with the large piazza, little cobbled streets, majestic buildings and the passion of the residents for their town the food associated with it. Despite my limited Italian vocabulary I managed to have some quite animated discussions about the local food and drink, which was (as with most Italian food) totally amazing.

Alastair Little isn’t a chef/food writer I’m very familiar with, the only time I’ve ever seen him on television was when he did a guest appearance with Nigel Slater. His book however, is very interesting and full of delightful recipes and ideas that lead to several adaptations which is never a bad thing.

The Tagliata di Manzo (Griddled Sliced Steak) and Patate al Forno is only a vague adaptation of the recipe in Littles’ book, well no, more accurately it’s a hybrid of a Little and Lawson recipe (from Nigella Lawson’s Feast: Food That Celebrates Life). The steak was melt in the mouth tender and so full of flavour, very impressive. The secret to good tagliata is to cook it on a smoking hot griddle, to get a deep charred flavour. Traditionally the steak is cooked on a griddle above an open fire, giving a resonate smokiness. Alastair Little chose to serve his steak with sautéed mushrooms and the version I ate in Umbria was served on a bed of peppery wild rocket which was a fabulous combination but I just felt like letting the meat and thick, syrupy, balsamic vinegar speak for itself.

The Patate al Forno (literally translated as potatoes of the oven) were lovely, crunchy and moreish. They’re baked in a combination of really good olive oil and goose fat with garlic cloves and rosemary springs, before being sprinkled with a good handful of maldon salt and red wine vinegar before serving which gives them a sharpness so complimentary to the tender steak.