(Roast beef - Traditional recipe)

Time: preparation: 10 minutes
........ plus time for cooling and slicing the meat
........ cooking: 35-40 minutes

1 kg (2 1/4 lb) sirloin
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
30 g (1 oz) butter
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Medium difficulty

  Spoon measures are American spoons, that is standard cook's measuring spoons used in USA.
  The best plan is to regard 2 American teaspoons or tablespoons as 1 English teaspoon or tablespoon (eating spoons)

The most important thing is to choose a good piece of meat, well tenderized and to tie it into a firm, neat shape before cooking.
You can bake it or cook in a pan.
Butter your meat, put in a large and deep pan with the olive oil, brown on all sides over a high heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper (if you like) and add some hot water. Keep on cooking, stirring frequently, for about 35-40 minutes. Prick the meat with a fork; if blood juice comes out, cooking time is right. If juice doesn't come out, cooking time is over and meat isn't good.
The greatest difficulty is in the cooking time.
Wait some minutes before slicing the meat.
Meanwhile add butter or some warm water to the pan to dissolve the sediments (deglazing). Bring to the boil, stirring and scraping up all the sediment from the base of the pan. Boil for 1-2 minutes or until the liquid is thick or syrupy. Serve with the meat.
You can serve roast beef in a buffet; in this case the slices must be very thin. You can use a slicing machine when the meat is cold. The doses are enough for 12 people.

What's the right wine?
Our suggestion is: Gattinara (red wine from Piedmont - Italy) or Chianti (red wine from Tuscany - Italy)

If you want to combine this dish with other ones for a complete menu,
consult our "Members-only Area".