Name: Trippa alla Romana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 750g Cleaned and pre-cooked beef tripe, rinsed, drained and cut into 1cm strips; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely diced; 1 carrot, finely diced; 1 stick celery, finely diced; 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped; 150ml dry white wine; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 800g tinned chopped tomatoes; 250ml beef stock; 1 Bay leaf; ½ tsp dried chilli flakes; 1 tsp Dried Oregano; ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground; as needed salt; 15g Fresh mint, finely chopped; 60g Pecorino Romano, finely grated

Method

20 mins prep105 mins cook125 mins total

Rinse the tripe under cold running water, drain thoroughly and cut it into strips about 1cm wide.
Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, then cook for 8–10 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute, taking care not to let the garlic colour too deeply.
Add the tripe and stir for 5 minutes so it becomes well coated in the softened vegetables and oil.
Pour in the white wine, bring it to a simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, scraping the base of the pan to release any browned bits.
Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, beef stock, bay leaf, oregano and black pepper.
Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 75–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tripe is tender and the sauce is thick. Add a splash of water if needed.
Remove the bay leaf. Stir through half the mint and half the Pecorino, then taste before adding salt because the stock and cheese may already be well seasoned.
Serve in warmed bowls with the remaining mint and Pecorino scattered over the top. Serve with crusty bread and, if liked, a simply dressed green salad.

Notes

Most tripe sold by UK butchers has already been cleaned and partly cooked. If using raw tripe, ask the butcher how it should be prepared and boil it separately until tender before starting the recipe.

Parmesan can replace the Pecorino Romano if necessary, although Pecorino gives the dish its characteristic sharp, salty finish.

The flavour improves after resting, so this is a good dish to make a day ahead and reheat gently.