Italian cuisine is not limited to pizza - it also has risotto, pasta and such an unusual dish as carpaccio. What is it and how to cook it? This is one of the most popular Italian dishes. Let's get to know him better.
Carpaccio - what is it?
This dish was first prepared in 1950 by the restaurateur Cipriani for the noble Countess Mocenigo. They called the carpaccio (what it is, it became known to the whole world just a few years later) in honor of the Italian Renaissance, who painted with a predominance of shades of red. Visually, this dish is also replete with red shades, because it is thin, almost transparent pieces of raw meat (no thicker than two and a half millimeters), pickled in salt, oil and vinegar.
The question arises: if you cook carpaccio, what is it - a snack or a main course? It all depends on what it is made of.
Meat carpaccio can also be a cold first course, as it is quite satisfying and does not go well with anything other than salads and fresh vegetables. But since this dish is now prepared from almost any thinly sliced product (fish, vegetables, cheese, fruit), these options can be suitable as snacks. Today, there are at least twenty recipes for making carpaccio. Two options can be made from chicken breasts - in the first, the meat will be pickled, and in the second - jerky. Pickled tuna with vegetables, salmon with mustard, cod with salad (arugula), as well as slightly fried beef, are very popular. Carpaccio from mushrooms, beets, and also from fruits with a dense pulp - pineapple, orange, apples - is in fashion.
The most important thing is to choose fresh and high-quality products. Thanks to a short heat treatment, they retain all those vitamins and minerals that perfectly affect human health, normalize digestion and prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Another very important nuance is thin slicing of products. This is a rather complicated skill; it is not easy for them to master. If you are a beginner, remember that the cutting knife must be perfectly sharp. You can, of course, freeze the product before you cut it - this will facilitate the task. But also affect the quality of the dish. You can ask to cut meat in the store using a slicer.
Traditional carpaccio
You will need high-quality raw beef, bought in a trusted place, as well as parmesan and arugula salad. Greens can be taken and another to your liking. Also, vinegar is needed for refueling. If you are not afraid to eat raw meat, then pickle it in lemon juice and balsamic vinegar for several hours. If you prefer processed foods, then fry the beef for a couple of minutes over medium heat. Short cooking will help the meat remain tender, tasty and soft. It must be put on a plate in one layer, salt, pour vinegar and oil. After it has cooled, put the salad on top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Carpaccio is prepared from chicken fillet according to a similar scheme. It goes well with walnuts. Before preparing chicken carpaccio, the fillet can be frozen. This will not affect the taste of the final product.