Tuscany Cooking Vacation with an amazing Tagliata (Italian for sliced steak) as main course

Amazing Tagliata!

A beloved dish among my customers when they opt for a private chef experience or a private cooking class on their home vacation.

I’d like to tell you today about one of the most requested main courses that you can find in our Menus for Private Dinners: Tagliata (the Italian word for sliced steak).

The last time that I prepared it was for a large family group, near Terricciola, a nice village here in Tuscany. Our customers chose the Menu, we did the shopping, and went directly to their holiday homes to cook for them. The self-catering villa was perfect, with a large and well-equipped kitchen (anyway we can bring many tools and we need just a sink, a fridge, a stove and of course a table).

When we arrived, from the dirt road, we saw our guests while having a dip in the beautiful swimming pool; there was an atmosphere full of joy and laughs and indeed we were about to meet special people with whom we became friends and we’re still keeping in touch.

These guests came from Oslo and they loved the amazing Tagliata and our way of preparing it.

tagliata, tuscany cooking vacation

After many years (exactly 15) of working for tourists coming from all over the world, I can say that everyone likes it, whether English or American, Norwegian or Australian.

This Amazing Tagliata features succulent slices of grilled beef, seasoned to perfection, delivering an explosion of taste in every bite.

private dinners, cooking at home, chef in Tuscany

Some suggestions to taste an amazing Tagliata to its best:

First of all the meat cut:

I strongly suggest using sirloin (or entrecote), in my opinion, it’s suitable for Tagliata for 3 reasons:

It’s without bone (you’re not going to prepare a Fiorentina Steak)
It has a thickness of about 2 inches (4 or 5 cm) and with medium fire cooking, this allows the meat to maintain its liquids and to be pink and very soft inside
the sirloin (unlike the fillet) is covered with a layer of fat that melts into the meat and make it juicy, tender, and tasteful

Another suggestion for cooking: it’s very important to maintain a medium heat (no sudden changes in heat)

Beef Tagliata is surely good if wood-fired grilled, but it’s difficult not to have some sudden changes in heat with fire. If you’ll follow my suggestions and steps, you’ll obtain a delicious dish just with a plate for grilling, your stove, and your wish to delight the palate of your family and friends.

During Summer, with my team of CuocheinVacanza, here in Tuscany (Central Italy), we prepare many kinds of Tagliata for our guests. We go directly to their holiday homes and we cook the Menu that they chose for their Private Lunch or Dinner.

tagliata, chef at home, private dinners, Tuscany

You can accompany Beef Tagliata in many typically Tuscan ways:

with Porcini mushrooms
with Artichokes
with Rosemary
with Aubergines
with Rucola, Parmesan, and a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction…that’s what we’re going to do now

Tagliata (Tuscan sliced steak)

Recipe by Erika Elia (CuocheinVacanza.com)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds and 1 1/4 inches thick Beef meat: sirloin
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 pinches of coarse sea salt
to taste freshly ground pepper
4 oz Italian parmesan cut in slivers
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar reduction
2 cups arugula

Instructions

Pre-heat a plate for grilling, and a cast-iron skillet on medium fire. When, after throwing a few drops of water on the pan, these turn away like mercury, the pan is hot enough.
Sprinkle with salt on the plate for grilling and put the meat on it.
Don’t touch the steak and wait until the edge of the steak, starting from the bottom, has become grey (about 5 minutes).
Meanwhile, dip a cutting board in very hot water (I pour boiling water into the closed sink).
Flip the steak using meat tongs (don’t pierce the beef) and wait until the color grey is all over the edge (about 4 minutes; anyway about 1 minute less than the first time).
Flip the beef again and wait about 1/2 minute for the side to brown all the meat.
To do quickly:
Dry the cutting board (still warm) with kitchen paper.
Turn off the heat and quickly wrap the meat in aluminum foil.
Lay the wrapped meat over the cutting board and wait about 5 minutes; it continues to cook.
Remove the aluminum foil and slice into 1/2 inch thick.
Set the slices over a serving tray.
Season with salt, pepper, and oil.
Put the arugula all over the meat and season again with salt, pepper, and oil.
Sprinkle with parmesan cut in slivers.
Pour from the top the balsamic vinegar reduction (soon the recipe!)
Enjoy it!