Trippa all’Aretina (Arezzo tripe) is a tripe dish that is cooked in a meat ragù, finished with lemon zest and juice. It sounds like two separate meals collided in the best possible way – and that is more or less what happened.
Arezzo sits in the south-east of Tuscany, an hour from Florence. As far as Tuscan tripe recipes go, Florence gets all the attention with its trippa alla fiorentina. I am almost certain that this is down to Florence’s dominant tourist attraction.
. But personally I think this Tuscan tripe recipe is better. The ragù gives it a depth and richness you do not get from a straight tomato sauce. The lemon lifts everything at the end. It is a combination that should not work as well as it does.
I am not sure where the idea came from to invent a tripe stew in meat sauce. But I would put money on a thrifty nonna adding it to her ragu one day when she had more mouths to feed than expected. Or it just seemed a good way to use up some left over tripe. Or ragu. But whatever the reason, this Tuscany tripe recipe delivers all the benefits of a meat ragù, with the great taste and texture of tripe. And it’s a great way to introduce people to this love-or-hate ingredient.
Tripe Recipe Preparation
As with all tripe dishes, it’s important to know how to prepare the tripe. Firstly wash the tripe well. But just as importantly, you should also boil the tripe in water and some vinegar for a few minutes. This softens the distinct tripe flavour that can put some people off, and also makes sure you remove any remaining impurities. It’s then just a matter of long slow cooking to get the perfect al dente texture.
Even though you may feel this is a very Bolognese style recipe, don’t be tempted to serve it with spaghetti. For the authentic Arezzo experience, you need to eat this Italian tripe recipe with crusty bread. Nothing beats mopping up the juices with a thick slice of sourdough.
So next time you fancy a nice warming Italian style tripe recipe, or even if you are just looking forward to a way to use up some left over bolognese sauce, giveTrippa all’ aretina a go!
Buon appetito! 🇮🇹
More Tuscany Recipes
- Tuscan Wild Boar Ragu – wide egg pasta with slow-cooked wild boar from the Tuscan hill towns.
- Pappa al Pomodoro – ripe tomatoes and stale bread cooked together into a thick soup. A summer classic.
- Crostini Neri – the classic Tuscan chicken liver pate, served on toasted bread before every meal in Florence.
Trippa all’ Aretina (Arezzo Tripe Recipe)
Equipment
- Cast Iron Pan
- Chopping Board
- Chef Knife
- Spatula
- 1 large Saucepan
- colander
- Blender
Ingredients
- 800 grams tripe
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large pinch chilli flakes
- salt
- pepper
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 stick celery (finely chopped)
- 1 medium carrot (finely chopped)
- zest of 1 lemon
- 125 ml red wine (preferably from Tuscany)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 800 grams tinned chopped tomatoes (preferably a good quality Italian brand)
- 2 bay leaves
- 200 grams minced beef
- 200 grams minced pork
- 150 grams Parmesan cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Rinse the tripe well and then add it with the vinegar into a saucepan, and bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Then strain the tripe into a colander and allow to drain.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a cast iron pan and when hot, add the onion, celery, carrot and a pinch of salt, then reduce the heat and cook for 8-10 minutes on a medium low heat.
- After 10 minutes add the minced meat, the grated lemon zest, brown everything, blend with a glass of red wine
- Add the chopped tomatoes, with a tablespoon of the preserved dissolved first, and let the sauce rest.
- Finally, put the tripe already cut into strips, already blanched in water and vinegar for 15 minutes.
- N.B: the tripe should be washed for a long time in cold water.
- It is seasoned, seasoning with salt and pepper and a pinch of Calabrian chilli, a parmesan crust.
- At this point it should be cooked slowly for about an hour and a half
