Savor Summer: Tuscan Women Cook’s Bold Beefy Salad for Al Fresco

This summer, elevate your steak game with a dish beloved throughout Italy: Tagliata di Manzo. A staple of Tuscan cuisine, this sliced steak is served simply yet elegantly over a bed of peppery arugula, often paired with rustic panzanella, crusty bread, and a bold Italian red. It’s the kind of vibrant fare that turns any meal into a celebration.

At Tuscan Women Cook, the premier culinary immersion vacation program, sharing the authentic flavors of Tuscany with home cooks everywhere is a delicious part of our experience.

Italy is one of the world’s top ten consumers of beef and makes every cut count bringing out the best in beef. Tagliata di Manzo is one of the country’s most popular ways to prepare steak—and it’s surprisingly simple to create at home. With just a quality cut of meat, fresh greens, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, this dish is a delicious blend of richness and refreshment.

To prepare Tagliata di Manzo at home, Tuscan Women Cook recommends a well-marbled NY strip steak with a little fat on the edge, although a strip loin or rib eye are also delicious prepared this way. Searing the edges of the steak removes some of the fat while providing enough to help brown the meat. Purchase a thick piece, 1 ½-2 inches is ideal. Season the meat with salt and pepper and sear it well on each side in a heavy pan such as one made from cast iron or black steel. Or you may cook it over a pre-heated grill. Once the steak cooks, let it rest for 10 minutes. This allows the juices to return to the center of the meat for a pleasing rare or medium-rare center. Take the resting time to assemble the salad of crisp arugula, quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese. Then slice the steak thinly and place it over the salad.

Tagliata di Manzo (Sliced Steak and Arugula Salad Tuscan Style) Yield: 2 – 3 servings

1. Let the steak come to room temperature for 30 – 45 minutes before cooking.
2. Heat a heavy cast iron or steel skillet over high heat for 5 minutes until it begins to smoke. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Using tongs of a chef’s fork, hold the steak upright in the pan to sear the fat along its edges for a minute or two. Lower the steak into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium high. Cook the steak for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, or longer to your taste.
3. Remove the steak from the pan. Place it on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
4. While the steak is resting, place the arugula on a serving platter. Season it lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Shave parmesan cheese over the arugula.
5. Slive the meat against the grain into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Transfer the sliced steak onto the arugula. Drizzle it with olive oil. Season with fresh ground black pepper. Scatter the rosemary over the steak and arugula. Drizzle balsamic vinegar onto the platter.
6. Serve immediately with panzanella.