Trippa e fagioli

Tripe runs through Italian popular cooking, from the stalls of Florence’s tripe sellers to home kitchens. Seasonings and customs vary, but a thorough understanding of the ingredient remains: how to clean it, how to cook it and what to serve it with.

This is a part of our cooking that interests me deeply. The value of a dish also comes from the work devoted to the ingredients at hand. Tripe is a good example: it takes time and care, rewarding that attention with a texture and flavour all its own.

In my TRIPPA E FAGIOLI, I use veal tripe, slowly cooked with tomatoes and cannellini beans. I like how the creaminess and sweetness of the beans complement the tripe, while the tomatoes bring everything together and Pecorino Romano adds a savoury saltiness.

This is a dish to discover through texture as well as flavour: each spoonful gathers sauce and beans, then meets the tripe, tender but still distinct.

I would serve it hot in a deep bowl, with toasted bread for dipping. Or use it to dress pasta, making it part of another everyday meal. I like the thought that a recipe from this cooking tradition might find a place at your table too.