Peposa Dell'Impruneta (Tuscan Black Pepper Beef)
The story goes that terracotta tile workers in Impruneta, Tuscany, would place this stew into clay pots and cook it in their still-hot kilns overnight where it would be ready in the morning. They used a lot of pepper because the meat was not always top quality. The amount of pepper is up to you--I used a ridiculous amount, but even so it wasn't overpowering.
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Recipe Summary
Ingredients
Directions
Chef's Note:
Beef shank is traditionally used for this recipe, but the short ribs worked really well. You could even use chunks of beef chuck, but would need to adjust cooking time. Just remember, cook until a fork goes easily into the meat.
This is delicious served over polenta, but you could also serve it over rice or pasta.