Some of my blog posts contain affiliate links to products that I may receive a commission on when purchases are made through these links. This is at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.
We discovered this delicious Italian steak dish while in Italy on our honeymoon and I couldn’t wait to try this recipe once we got home.
Our Italian honeymoon was a dreamy vacation that had us falling further in love with each other, food, wine, and Italian culture.
Our first few days were spent in Rome where we sipped wine in bustling piazzas and toured famous landmarks like the Colosseum, Vatican City, and the Spanish Steps. We also did a bus tour to Naples and Pompeii that was unforgettable.
I had no idea I would fall in love with Roma as much as I did. One of my favourite memories will always be my husband and I ringing in 2013 in Piazza Venezia. Romans love to celebrate the new year and the energy was electric in the city that night. Fireworks crackled, bands played in the streets and thousands filled the piazza to ring in the new year. When the clock struck midnight, champagne and corks flew, paper lanterns filled the night sky, and “Happy New Year” rang out in various languages. It was truly a magical evening I will never forget.
After several enjoyable days in Rome, we took the high-speed train to Florence where we enjoyed even more delicious food and wine as well as took in famous artwork from the Renaissance. The Nude and Food walking tour was definitely a highlight and so was our visit to Pitti Gola e Cantina, a quaint wine bar near Piazza Pitti. I still drool thinking about the wine and food we had there.
A few days later we rented a car and headed for Siena in the rolling hills of Tuscany. Siena is a medieval town on top of a hill and is much quieter than Rome and Florence. I loved this little town with its narrow cobblestone streets, gothic architecture and central square, Piazza del Campo. During our time in Siena, we had arranged for 2 days of private wine tours through the Tuscan Valley.
On our wine tours, we sipped Brunello di Montalcino and Super Tuscans at several vineyards and enjoyed the beautiful countryside of the Tuscan valley. On our first day of the tour, we stopped in a small town for lunch and this is where we discovered Beef Tagliata and we both agreed we needed to try to recreate this dish when we got home. I am sharing a recipe based on Mario Batali’s Grilled Beef Tagliata but we have made a couple of minor adjustments.
Beef Tagliata and Arugula
Beef Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs boneless rib-eye steak
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh rosemary, removed from stems
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved
- 8 cups arugula
- sea salt
- aged balsamic vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 1/4 cup shallot, minced
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Directions
For the Beef
- Pulse balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor until rosemary is finely chopped.
- Add olive oil and continue to pulse until ingredients are fully combined.
- Add salt and pepper to the marinade.
- Place steaks in a 10×15 inch baking dish and pour marinade over steaks. Flip steaks over in marinade to ensure they are coated on all sides.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
- Bring steaks to room temperature before grilling.
- Preheat skillet over high heat.
- Remove steaks from marinade and discard marinade.
- Liberally season steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place steaks in skillet and cook until seared and deep brown on all sides. Approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Remove steaks from skillet and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Carve the steaks diagonally against the grain in 1/2 inch thick pieces.
- Shave Parmigiano-Reggiano.
For the Arugula Salad
- Combine shallots, lemon juice and zest, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl.
- Let the vinaigrette rest for 10 minutes to ensure the flavours combine.
- Slowly add olive oil and whisk constantly to combine.
- Add pepper and stir.
- Place arugula in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss gently.
- Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss until leaves are evenly coated.
Plate steak on a bed of arugula or on the side. Drizzle steak with aged balsamic and olive oil.
Buon appetito!
Even after several years and many wonderful vacations, I think it’s safe to say that our hearts (and stomachs) belong to Italy. We both look forward to returning to this romantic country in the near future.
