RECIPES - Fassona beef carpaccio with rocket pesto, Parmesan cream, smoked salt and white truffle.

My history with carpaccio goes back to my youth when my mother used to prepare me the veal one, with rocket and Parmesan shavings.

Despite being a child and quite fussy about food, I simply adore it.

The next step in this culinary journey took place in Piedmont, where I spent three years in the Carabinieri.

Here, I discovered the Fassona meat, one of the most prestigious in Italy, and coincidently this region host the most famous white truffle fair in Italy.

Carpaccio of Fassona beef and white truffle, a pretty obvious combination, isn’t it?

In my version, I wanted to recall the taste from my youth, adding rocket and Parmesan but with a different texture not to overpower the white truffle, which always has to be the king.

Ingredients for serving 4 people:

16gr white truffle

For the Fassona beef carpaccio

400gr Fassona beef
Extra virgin olive oil
Smoked salt
Wild forest pepper of Vietnam 

To be honest, there’s not much to do to prepare the carpaccio.

Thinly slice it and place it on the plate, then season it with smoked salt and wild forest pepper.

For the rocket pesto

30gr rocket salad
30gr extra virgin olive oil
Maldon Salt

Place all the ingredients in a container and blend well together.

For the Parmesan cream

70ml whole milk
25gr flour “00”
10gr butter
30gr grated Parmesan
Nutmeg

As a base for this cream, make a classic bechamel.

Firstly melt the butter in a pan over low heat.

Add the flour a little at a time, constantly stirring with a whisk to create what is called a roux.

When the flour has absorbed all the butter, add the milk at room temperature, always mixing vigorously.

Add some grated nutmeg, grated Parmesan and let it melt well.

Cook for another five minutes until the cream has reached the right consistency.

Add salt if necessary, but remember that the Parmesan is already salty on its own.

Set aside and let it cool.

For the presentation (one portion)

Randomly squeeze drops of rocket pesto and Parmesan cream on the carpaccio.

Top with 4 grams of finely shaved white truffle, ensuring not to completely hide the droplets.

Wine pairing

Jiasik Rosso - Borgo San Daniele - Italy