Carpaccio: what is it and how to cook it?

Italian cuisine is not limited to pizza - it still has risotto, pasta and such an unusual dish as carpaccio. What is it and how to cook it? This is one of the most popular Italian dishes. Let's get to know him better.

Carpaccio - what is it?

For the first time this dish was prepared in 1950 by the restaurateur Cipriani for the noble countess Mocenigo. They called the carpaccio (what it is, it became known to the whole world in just a few years) in honor of the Italian Renaissance, who painted pictures with the predominance of shades of red. Visually, this dish also abounds with red hues, because it is a thin, almost transparent pieces of raw meat (not thicker than two and a half millimeters), marinated in salt, oil and vinegar.

The question arises: if you are preparing carpaccio, what is it - a snack or main course? It all depends on what it's made of. Meat carpaccio can be a cold first dish, as it is quite substantial and does not mix well with anything else, except for salads and fresh vegetables. But since this dish is now prepared from almost all thinly sliced products (fish, vegetables, cheese, fruits), these options can be approached as snacks. Today there are no less than twenty recipes for cooking carpaccio. From chicken breasts, you can make two options - in the first meat will be pickled, and in the second - jerky. Very popular is marinated tuna with vegetables, salmon with mustard, cod with salad (arugula), as well as lightly fried beef. Carpaccio of mushrooms, beets, as well as fruits with dense pulp - pineapple, orange, apples - is becoming fashionable.

The most important thing is to choose fresh and quality products. Due to short heat treatment, they retain all those vitamins and trace elements that perfectly affect human health, normalize digestion and prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system. Another very important nuance is the thin cutting of products. This is a fairly complex skill, it is not easy for them to master. If you are a beginner, remember that the cutting knife should be perfectly sharp. You can, of course, freeze the product before you cut it - this will facilitate the task. But it will affect the quality of the dish. You can ask to cut the meat in the store using a slicer.

Traditional carpaccio

It will take high-quality raw beef, bought in a checked place, as well as Parmesan and Rocket salad. Greens can be taken and another to your liking. Also you need vinegar to refuel. If you are not afraid to eat raw meat, then marinate it in lemon juice and balsamic vinegar for several hours. If you prefer processed foods, then fry the beef for a couple of minutes over medium heat. A short cooking will help the meat to remain gentle, tasty and soft. It should be put on a plate in a single layer, salt, pour vinegar and oil. After it has cooled, put the salad on top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Of chicken fillet carpaccio is prepared according to a similar scheme. It fits well with walnuts. Before you can cook chicken carpaccio, the fillets can be frozen. This will not affect the taste of the final product.