Ricette Italiane (Italian Recipes)

© Copyright 1995-2023, Clay Irving <clay@panix.com>, Manhattan Beach, CA USA

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Spezzatino di Vitello (Veal Stew)

Recipe from: djplam

Like all stews, this dish is best eaten after sitting for a day! My Mom would make it on a Sunday, while she made her "gravy" and hold it for a Monday night dinner. We could smell the beautiful aroma of the Veal Stew all over the house and waited in great anticipation for Monday dinner. It was usually well worth the wait. Good Italian bread complimented the meal and soaked up the great gravy of the veal stew.

1 pound boneless veal, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 4 to 6 ounce cans sliced mushrooms, divided
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced in ¼ inch slices
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons capers, drained

Pat veal dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a teaspoon of the olive oil in a heavy large pot (4 or 5 quarts) over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Then brown veal, in batches, if needed. As it browns, transfer it to a bowl and hold in reserve.

Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan, lower the heat to moderately low and add the onion, stirring frequently until softened, but not browned. Add garlic and cook stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in one can of the mushrooms, with liquid, scrapping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add tomato paste and bring again to a simmer. Add the veal and any juices that may have accumulated in the bowl. Continue to simmer, until the veal is tender, about an hour to an hour and a half.

While the veal is simmering, core and stem the peppers and cut the flesh into 1 inch pieces. In a separate skillet fry the pepper pieces until soft, but not brown. Add the second can of mushrooms, without liquid, and cook until slightly browned. Add to the veal mixture in the pot and cook an addition 10 minutes.

Serve over broad pasta, like a fettuccine.