Straccetti di manzo translates roughly from the Italian to “little rags of beef.” It’s a steak salad that’s a trattoria staple. The cooking is minimal and quick, making this ideal for a weeknight dinner. But the beef must be thinly sliced. For the cleanest, thinnest slices, the cooks at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street first firm the meat in the freezer. That allows a knife to glide through it. After a quick sear in a hot skillet, the steak slices go directly onto a bed of peppery arugula and sweet-tart tomatoes. Balsamic vinegar, reduced as it deglazes the pan, and shaved Parmesan are the finishing touches.
Straccetti di manzo, which translates roughly from the Italian to “little rags of beef,” is a trattoria staple. The cooking is minimal and quick, making this ideal for a weeknight dinner, but the beef must be thinly sliced.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street Backroads Italy,” we freeze the meat for about 20 minutes to firm it a bit, which allows a knife to glide through the grain. After a quick sear in a hot skillet, the steak slices go directly onto a bed of peppery arugula and sweet-tart tomatoes. We prefer tri-tip steak for this recipe, as it has great flavor and a tender texture.
Don’t dress the arugula and tomatoes too far in advance or they will wilt and turn soggy. Wait until after the beef is sliced before tossing the veggies with the oil, lemon juice and salt. Also, don’t stir the beef during the first three minutes of cooking. Allowing it to cook undisturbed will give the meat a chance to develop flavorful browning.
Balsamic vinegar, reduced as it deglazes the pan, acts as tangy-sweet dressing when combined with vegetables. Shaved Parmesan, along with black pepper and a final drizzle of olive oil, are perfect finishing touches.
Straccetti di Manzo
Start to finish: 45 minutes (25 minutes active)
Servings: 4 to 6
1½ pounds beef tri-tip steak
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
5-ounce container baby arugula
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese, for shaving
Place the steak on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until partially frozen, about 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the beef against the grain on the diagonal no thicker than ¼ inch. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper; toss to coat. On a deep, wide platter, toss the arugula and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add the garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beef in an even layer; cook without stirring until only a little pinkness remains and some liquid has been released, about 3 minutes. Stir, redistribute in an even layer and cook until no longer pink, about 1 minute. Using tongs, place the steak on the vegetables, leaving the garlic in the pan.
Add the balsamic to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium-high; cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Discard the garlic; pour the balsamic over the steak. Shave Parmesan over the top, then finish with additional oil and black pepper.