Trippa alla Fiorentina

In Florence, trippa is not a dish for adventurous eaters — it is everyday street food sold from carts at market stalls (the famous lampredotto and trippa carts of Mercato Centrale), and a beloved home-cooked meal that Florentine nonnas have prepared for generations. Braised in a fragrant tomato sauce with celery and herbs, it becomes yielding and deeply savoury.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 800 g (1.75 lb) pre-cooked honeycomb tripe, well rinsed
• 400 g (14 oz) canned whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 60 g (2 oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
• Small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Cut the pre-cooked tripe into strips about 1 cm (½ in) wide and 5 cm (2 in) long. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the tripe, and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large heavy casserole over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot (the soffritto) and cook gently for 10–12 minutes until soft and golden.
3. Add garlic, rosemary, and sage; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the tripe strips and stir to coat in the soffritto. Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir well, reduce heat to low, cover partially, and braise for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. The tripe should be very tender and the sauce thick and clinging. Add a splash of water if it becomes too dry.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning. Discard the rosemary sprig.
8. Serve in warm bowls topped generously with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped parsley. Crusty Tuscan bread is essential for scooping up the sauce.

Cook's Notes: Pre-cooked tripe is available at most butchers and Italian delis — it has already been cleaned and blanched, saving considerable preparation time. The dish improves dramatically if made a day ahead and gently reheated. Do not skip the Parmigiano — it is integral to the Florentine version.