Bresaola

Bresaola is one of my favorite quick, light summer meals. It comes together in less than a minute, and tastes and looks gorgeous. I started eating bresaola when I lived near the amazing Testaccio market in Rome; the butcher I’d go to would slice it up for me in the morning, and I knew that after a long day, dinner would be effortless.

Bresaola is thinly sliced beef, cured in spices before being dried out into a sort of salami (but without any fat at all). It’s similar in presentation to carpaccio, but unlike carpaccio, bresaola isn’t raw - it’s like a beef, fat-ribbon-free version of prosciutto crudo. It’s musty and salty, with a really unique hearty flavor from the curing spices. It’s almost a bit sweet and very, very soft.

Though you can eat it any way you like (in a sandwich, on pizza, with your fingers straight from the fridge), this is the classic way to serve bresaola: covered in some baby arugula (rocket), shavings of parmigiano reggiano, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper. The sweet meat, spicy greens, sour lemon, salty cheese, drizzle of fatty oil: it’s a little plate of culinary perfection.

BRESAOLA

The ultimate no-fuss summer antipasto or light meal. When part of an array of appetisers, serve one big plate (quantities below). For a light lunch or dinner, make one plate per person. Bresaola should be available at any Italian deli or market with the other cold cuts. They will slice it for you by the slice or by weight. It’s best when used within a day or two. Don’t skimp on ingredients here; they are, after all, the entire meal: use real Parmesan if you can.

12 - 18 slices bresaola (calculate 4 - 6 slices per person as an app; 12 - 18 as a light meal)

1 large handful of baby rocket (arugula)

extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

Parmigiano Reggiano, for shaving

black pepper

Lay the slices of bresaola out on a large plate or platter. Top with a large handful of baby arugula. Slice thinnest-possible shavings of parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle evenly over the top. Drizzle best-quality extra virgin olive oil evenly on top. Squeeze half of lemon top of that. Grind some black pepper on top.

If serving as an antipasto, serve with little plates and forks.* Can be made an hour or two ahead and left at room temperature.

*If you’re serving for a large party and don’t want to use little plates, you can roll the rocket dressed in the lemon juice and olive oil in individual bresaola slices and serve the rolls on a platter as finger food.