A Culinary Day at the Villa: Bistecca alla Fiorentina

 

The beauty of Bistecca alla Fiorentina lies in its simplicity. Only three ingredients are used to season the steak: coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and quality extra-virgin olive oil, which stay true to the dishes rustic Tuscan origins. True Bistecca alla Fiorentina is deeply tied to the heritage, lean texture, and the distinct flavour of Chianina beef raised in the Val di Chiana, and the result is incredible – lean, tender meat with a deep, rich flavour. Chefs cut the steak thick, cook it rare over hot charcoal, and season it simply so the meat’s natural flavour remains the star. According to Tuscan tradition, a true Bistecca alla Fiorentina must measure at least three or four fingers thick, which allows the outside to caramelize while keeping the centre perfectly rare. 

Golden and crispy on the outside, with a fluffy centre and the irresistible aroma of fresh rosemary, roast potatoes are the perfect side for Bistecca alla Fiorentina, but we also like to serve it with sautéed spinach or cicoria, the bitter-tasting leafy greens deeply rooted in traditional cucina povera across Italy. Served with a Brunello di Montalcino — il re dei vini per la regina delle bistecche — the king of wines for the queen of steaks is a poetic way to honour two of Tuscany's most prestigious culinary icons. Buon appetito tutti.

Franciacorta is an exceptional choice to open a special dinner, 

offering the prestige and complexity of Champagne with a distinctly Italian soul

View of the 13th century convent and Clitunno Valley from our terrace 

while enjoying the Marchese Antinori Franciacorta 

Pecorino di Norcia,  salame al cinghiale di Norcia and Tarallini Pugliesi al rosmarino

served with the Fanciacorta while admiring the ever-changing view

The sun begins to set lending a golden hue to the valley

Enjoying our nightly game of cribbage with fresh roses from the garden

and waiting for the coals in the outdoor grill to be perfect for grilling the Fiorentina

Once the charcoal turns to ash, the Fiorentina is put on the grill,

and cooked for 4 to 6 minutes per side

A thick crust forms in seconds while keeping the interior rare

Allow the bistecca to rest for 10 to 15 minutes, 

then slice and finish with flaky sea salt and Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil

Perfect Roasted Potatoes

Sautéed Local Chicoria

A sharp carving knife right along both sides of the T-bone separates the larger strip loin (controfiletto) and the smaller, tender filet (filetto) from the bone, then sliced for easy serving

Bistecca all Fiorentina with roast potatoes and sautéed chicoria,

quite possibly the perfect dinner

A very special Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Elegant, well-balanced, and incredibly memorable

...as was the view

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

Serves 2

Recipe courtesy of Mattia Borrani

1 Chianina dry-aged steak, 2 1/2 to 3 lbs, cut at least 2 inches thick. 

Fleur de sel ( I use Maldon salt), generously

Fresh cracked black pepper

Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

Remove the steak from the refrigerator one full hour before cooking. It must reach room temperature throughout. 

Build your charcoal fire. Use lump charcoal or hardwood. Let it burn until the coals are fully ashed over and glowing orange-red, with no open flame remaining. This takes 30 to 45 minutes minimum. The grate should be positioned close to the coals, about 4 inches above the embers.

Stand the steak upright on its bone edge directly on the hot grate and hold it carefully. Cook 2 minutes in this position. The bone conducts heat inward from below. Then lay the steak flat on the grate. Do not move it once it is down. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side without touching. Flip the steak once and cook 3 to 4 minutes on the second side until the internal temperature of 125°F at the thickest point of the striploin side. Pressed with a finger, the centre should feel soft and give easily. If it feels springy or firm, it is past rare.

Using a thin, sharp knife cut the meat away from the T-shaped bone, following the curve of the bone as closely as possible to leave minimal meat behind. Separate the sirloin on one side of the bone and the filet on the other side. Keep the T-bone on the serving platter for traditional presentation. To serve, reeassemble the sliced bistecca neatly around the bare T-bone on a wooden cutting board or platter, and drizzle with high-quality Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil and finish with fresh cracked black pepper and coarse sea salt such as Maldon salt, and then serve.

Todi Ristorante Umbria & Teatro Communale

 

One of Umbria's most beautiful hill towns, Todi is perched high up in the mountains with spectacular views in every direction. Reached by an exciting drive through winding roads and hairpin turns, this ancient city is a true delight. Described as one of the 'most liveable towns in the world', Todi has retained much of the original features and charming character of the town's diverse historical periods in the face of passing time. Like rings around a tree, Todi's history can be read in layers. With a rich history dating back to around 1300 BC, Todi was settled by the Umbri, an ancient pre-Etruscan people who gave it the name Tudere. According to legend, one night the new conquerors were eating their meal which was placed on a red cloth, when suddenly an eagle descended upon them, seized the cloth with its talons and flew away, dropping it high up in the hills. This was interpreted as a divine sign, and the new town was built exactly where the eagle had shown. Tudere later became absorbed by the Romans in the 1st century BC, expelling the Etruscans from their new land, and the town became known as Todi. 

Roman rule is still evident in many of Todi's architectural features, as are many of the town's Mediaeval buildings that were developed during the 13th century, such as the Piazza del Popolo, one of Italy 's most beautiful medieval squares and Todi's Duomo, the 12th century Cathedral of Santa Annunziata, which sits at one end of the square built on the ruins an ancient pagan temple. The simple facade is approached by a broad sweep of stairs that lead up to magnificent wood carved doors. Looking back, the Duomo commands an impressive view over the sunny Piazza, which is where we enjoyed an early morning cappuccino and pastry at a lovely Gran Caffé Serrani, before heading for lunch.

A symbol of culinary excellence and custodian of the traditions of the real tuderte cuisine, Michelin-starred Ristorante Umbria is the finest restaurant in Todi, and the oldest. After visiting the Duomo and San Fortunate, we wandered through the steeply winding streets that lead to small hidden entrance of Ristorante Umbria. With reservations made months earlier, we had a beautiful table waiting on the gorgeous outdoor terrace with spectacular views over the Tiber valley. Started by Sabatino Todini and his wife Ida over 60 years ago on a small farm located on the site of the restaurant where they used to sell wine in bulk, the property was slowly transformed into the beautiful gastronomic paradise we enjoy today. With a menu highlighting regional recipes and traditional Tuderte cuisine, we enjoyed a glorious lunch of local delicacies beginning with a glass of Prosecco and finishing with a bottle of dark and delicious Sagrantino di Montefalco. Fortified with a sumptuous lunch and hot frothy macchiato, we checked in to the Hotel Fonte Cesia, where we were staying for the night having purchased tickets to Dido and Aeneas at Todi's Teatro Communale for that evening.  

Housed in a restored 17th-century noble stone building dating back to 1606, Fonte Cesia is a 4-star boutique hotel blending historic architecture with modern comforts and traditional Umbrian hospitality. Having booked the Junior Suite on the top floor of the hotel with a sprawling terrace overlooking the quiet square below, it was the perfect pied à terre for our night away from our Umbria villa. With the Teatro Communale a two minute stroll form the hotel, we were able to stroll over to see Dido and Aeneas, then enjoy an aperitif on the Piazza del Popolo after the performance.

Todi's 12th-century Duomo is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary

and dominates Piazza del Popolo from the top of its staircase

View over Piazza del Popolo from the steps of the Duomo

The central main portal of the Duomo di Todi is a masterwork of Renaissance woodcarving 

and Umbrian architecture, and features a famous carved wooden double door created in 1521

Some of the door carvings sustained severe weather damage from storms and lightning

The upper panels of the main door masterfully carved in walnut wood in 1521

by Antonio Bencivenni da Mercatello depict Saint Peter with his book and staff

The interior of the Duomo features a Latin cross layout with a soaring timber-trussed nave

Silver hanging lantern with a double-headed eagle, the defining emblem and historical symbol of Todi, by the renowned silver artisan Giovanni Giardini

The Duomo organ was built in the 1960s by the Pinchi,

reusing sound material from an earlier 1841 pipe organ built by Angelo Morettini

Arriving in Todi on a Sunday, we listened to this small child playing the Duomo organ

with surprising skill, finesse and confidence

The Duomo's gorgeous fresco by Ferraù Fenzoni in 1596 depicts the Last Judgment, 

inspired by Michelangelo's treatment of the same subject in the Sistine Chapel,

This portion of the fresco is a swirling depiction of Hell 

where the damned are violently dragged down into eternal torment by demons 

A muscular, bearded old man represents a soul being physically hoisted 

and cradled by powerful angels as he ascends toward heaven

Looking up trough the fresco to the exposed timber truss roof

was redone in 1958 to closely imitate or replicate the original medieval structure

The late-12th-century wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary in the Duomo

The the iconic red-brick and terracotta limestone and marble from Mt. Subasio,

 relies on the local Umbrian stone for the Duomo's interior floor

View over the Piazza and 13th-century Museo Civico from the Duomo

The imposing bronze eagle has been on the front of the Palazzo dei Priori since 1339

is the symbol of Todi and still on the town's coat of arms

Gran Caffé Serrano in Todi

Cappuccino

Cornetto all'albicocca

The Teatro Communale where we will be seeing Henry Purcell's 

opera Dido and Aeneas this evening

Todi's 17th-century historic Hotel Fonte Cesia where we had booked a Junior Suite 

for the night in order to see the opera

Our enormous personal terrace was a real treat

A verdant oasis with stone urn with plants

Spectacular view from the terrace over the piazza below

with tall palms and lovely blue skies

The spacious Junior Suite with elegant canopy

A gorgeous carved stone fireplace and seating area with small mirror table

Todi is a mystical town whose indestructible stone buildings have stood for centuries

Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi on stone pedestal created in 1890 

by the Perugian artist Giuseppe Frenguelli, with a massive Cypress planted in 1849 

to commemorate Garibaldi's passage through Todi with his wife Anita

Our favourite Ristorante Umbria

Set inside an historic 16th-century building, 

the rustic stone interior of Ristorante Umbria reflects its deep medieval history

The outdoor terrace of Ristorante Umbria with open window to the kitchen

A glass of Prosecco is the perfect start to any lunch

Ristorante Umbria's menu features traditional Umbrian and Tuderte cuisine 

centred on seasonal local ingredients

 Overlooking the Umbrian valley from our table on the outdoor terrace

A trellis of pink Mandavilla hangs beside our table

A basket of warm Umbrian bread

Vellutata di fave con cicoria

Prosciutto e melone

Glass of Lungarotti Rosso di Montefalco 

Bracioline di Cinghiale aromatizzato al rosmarino

Trota di Lago ai ferri

Insalata fredda di patate was a work of art

Spinaci all'Agro

A glass of Limoncello courtesy of chef Faustino Todini

We had tickets to see the evening's opera of Dido and Arenas at Todi's Teatro Communale

The historic 19th-century interior of Teatro Communale

features a classic 19th-century Italian horseshoe-shaped design

The ceiling of the Teatro Comunale di Todi is a masterwork of late-19th-century Italian decorative art, painted by the celebrated Perugian artist Annibale Brugnoli

The iconic Todi eagle honours the municipal government that commissioned 

the construction of the theater in 1868

Dido and Aeneas on stage

The cast taking a bow after the their final performance

It was a beautiful evening as everyone was exiting the theatre 

We had a lovely evening stroll through Todi after the opera

Enjoying and Aperol Spritz and patatine overlooking Piazza del Popolo

Pizza Margherita with fresh tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella and basil