Italian architect Filippo Brunelleschi is crowned as the creator of the legendary Peposo alla Fornacina. This 500-year-old dish remains popular across Tuscany and advocates the admiral quality and simplicity in its cuisine. Iconic chef duo Pippo and Guia bring you their innovative recipe of this classic Tuscan dish, born out of pure passion for local cuisine and cooking.
This meal has all the qualities of comfort — warming, hearty and flavoursome. Ultimately, there's only three ingredients required for this dish, with the addition of salt and black pepper. The thick juiciness of the beef shank is spiked generously with garlic for truly tantalising meat, all soaked in Tuscany's finest wine. This dish is as rich in history as it is flavour, making it a Tuscan meal that will spark conversation and tastebuds at the dinner table.
Peposo alla Fornacina
Serves 4 - Cook in 3 hours
Ingredients
- 1kg beef shank, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
- 1l of Chianti or Sangiovese wine
- Peppercorns, whole or ground
- Salt
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius (°C). Place all ingredients in a large oven pot: 1kg of beef shanks cut into 1-inch cubes, 12 peeled and whole garlic cloves, 1l of Chianti or Sangiovese wine, salt and 2 tablespoons of black pepper. If you want a delicate peposo, leave the peppercorns whole, but if you prefer a spicy kick, use ground pepper.
Step 2
Cover the pot and cook in the oven for approximately 3 hours, stirring occasionally, checking that the beef remains covered in wine and adding hot water or broth if necessary. When the dish is ready, the meat should be very tender and the wine should have reduced to a sauce. If the wine has not reduced enough, remove the lid and continue to cook (N.B. Be careful not to dry out the meat).
Step 3
Season with more pepper if desired, and serve warm on top of slices of toasted Tuscan bread. You can also cook peposo on the stove, however consider longer cooking time. Buon appetito!