Carne alla pizzaiola is a dish from Campania that has become widespread throughout Italy. This meat-based main course has become an Italian classic. Here’s the recipe – plus a few secrets for making it to perfection.
Our recipe for traditional carne alla pizzaiola
Heat some extra-virgin olive oil in a pan with a garlic clove then add the tomato purée and let it cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the beef slices then lower the heat and cover with a lid. Towards the end of cooking, add salt and oregano to taste. Some recipes call for cooking the meat first in oil and garlic, then setting it aside and adding it back into the sauce at the end of cooking, but we suggest the first version for more tender results.
Our advice for the meat
The secret to a perfect carne alla pizzaiola is obviously the quality of the meat.
The beef slices must be quite thin and obviously boneless, and they should be tenderized before cooking. The best cut of meat to use is the thigh.
The traditional recipe calls for cooking the meat over very low heat for 20 minutes to absorb the sauce, but if the slices are thin, you can cook them for even less time and the meat will still remain tender and tasty. With the same steps, you can prepare beef rolls stuffed with sage or mozzarella and olives. If you prefer white meat, opt for turkey slices, but make sure the meat is always sliced thin.
Our sauce tips
We suggested a tomato purée, but you can also use a sauce containing chopped whole tomatoes. Just let the sauce reduce a little longer, and dilute it with a bit of purée. Obviously, it’s always best to use homemade tomato sauce instead of packaged ones. You can also use fresh tomatoes but blanch them first before removing the skin and blending. In any case, they will taste different, sweeter, and slightly more acidic.
Fresh herbs
Use fresh or dry oregano, depending on personal preference or availability. If you want, you can also add fresh parsley at the end of cooking. Many recipes use parsley as one of the basic ingredients. You can also make a chopped mince of aromatic herbs such as oregano, rosemary, marjoram, and sage, or add a handful of black olives.
