HOMEMAKERS Bloemfontein January 2023

LA DOLCE

VITA! Taste

The Sweet Life This Summer Without Leaving Your Patio

Good is more than pizza and pasta!

Few people know this, but a great T-bone steak is actually the signature dish of one of Italy’s most beautiful cities.

Yes. You read that right.

Florence, or Firenze as the locals say, renowned for its art, architecture, and cultural heritage, is also the home of Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

The Rarest Of Steaks

This delicious three finger thick porterhouse T-bone is braaied over a flaming grill for only a few minutes and served EXTREMELY rare. True Florentines say no more than 5 minutes on a side. If bloody steak doesn’t work for you, feel free to cook it low and slow for a bit longer, but a true Fiorentina is NEVER well done.

Simplicity is Key

To highlight the quality of the meat, the steak is seasoned simply, using only salt and pepper. Lemon and garlic might be allowed, but no store-bought basting sauce or other nonsense for this Italian hero.

The simplicity and super quick cooking time of the Fiorentina is what makes it such a great meal to entertain with.

Don’t Fuss

It can be served with anything, but the classics are usually creamy polenta (yellow Italian maize porridge), or the South African staple of potatoes wrapped in tin foil and cooked in the coals. Don’t fuss with sauces, don’t overdo the sides.

Enjoy the rustic luxury of setting down a perfectly cooked slab of meat in the centre of the table and eat it family style, cutting off slithers as you go.

Top Tip

Have small pots of course salt on the table so your guests can season their own meat.

If you want, you can serve a simple Insalata Caprese with it. In sticking with the simplicity of the menu, this salad consists of perfectly ripe slices of tomato with torn chunks of Fior di latte mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. No lettuce, nothing else.

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