History

Trippa alla fiorentina traces to the same medieval Mercato Vecchio butcher tradition as lampredotto, but graduated from cart to plate by the 17th century, served at the Tuscan family table as a Friday-meatless dinner alternative. The tomato came late, after the Columbian Exchange, but was firmly anchored in the recipe by Artusi's 1891 cookbook. The Florentine version differs from the Roman by being saucier and from the Bolognese by lacking pancetta.

Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 800g beef tripe (honeycomb), cleaned and parboiled by the butcher
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 400g tinned plum tomatoes
  • 200ml dry white wine
  • Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt, black pepper
  • 100g grated Parmigiano Reggiano to finish

Method

  1. Cut the parboiled tripe into 5cm strips.
  2. In a Dutch oven, sweat onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil for 15 minutes.
  3. Add the tripe and brown 10 minutes; deglaze with white wine.
  4. Add tinned tomatoes, half the parsley, salt and pepper. Top up with water to cover.
  5. Simmer covered, very gently, 2 hours; check seasoning at 1 hour.
  6. Uncover the last 30 minutes to reduce the sauce.
  7. Off heat, stir in the remaining parsley.
  8. Serve in shallow bowls with a generous shower of Parmigiano on top.

Tip from the editors. Always start from parboiled tripe; the raw version takes 6 hours to soften and stinks out the kitchen.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat trippa alla fiorentina

Trippa alla fiorentina in Florence

Cibreo Trattoria ★ 4.6

Florentine, Tuscan€€sant-ambrogio

Cibreo Trattoria in Florence's Sant'Ambrogio quarter is Fabio Picchi's no-pasta trattoria, the casual side of the Cibreo group. The polpettine and the pappa al pomodoro run the menu since 1989.

Signature: Trippa alla fiorentina, Pappa al pomodoro, Polpettine di pollo

Order: Polpettine di pollo, pappa al pomodoro and the trippa alla fiorentina.

Tip: No reservations and no pasta on the menu. Queue from 19:45 for the 20:00 first seating; lunch is the calmer service.

Via dei Macci 122r, 50122 Firenze Book →

Trattoria La Casalinga ★ 4.1

oltrarno

Why locals love it: Family-run cucina povera since 1963 just off Piazza Santo Spirito; ribollita and trippa for €10 a course, no concession to the centre's tourist circuit.

Tip: Closed Sunday; cash only. Lunch is calmer; dinner books up a week ahead.

Via dei Michelozzi 9r, 50125 Firenze

Trattoria da Burde ★ 4.4

campo-di-marte

Why locals love it: Bus 35 to a 1901 trattoria the working quarter still treats as its own; Friday-night bistecca dinner is the seating locals book three weeks ahead.

Tip: Lunch Mon-Sat; dinner Friday only. Book three weeks ahead for Friday.

Via Pistoiese 154, 50145 Firenze

Trattoria Sostanza ★ 4.5

Florentine trattoria€€santa-maria-novella

Trattoria Sostanza in Florence's Santa Maria Novella quarter has cooked the same bistecca and butter chicken on a coal grill since 1869. Two seatings, one menu, six communal tables.

Signature: Bistecca alla fiorentina, Pollo al burro, Tortino di carciofi

Order: The bistecca alla fiorentina (1.2kg for two) and the pollo al burro butter chicken.

Tip: Cash only; book three weeks ahead by phone. Two seatings at 19:30 and 21:30.

Via del Porcellana, 25/r, 50123 Firenze

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