Aggrassatu

Eye of round slow-cooked veal with white onions, wine and a soft, sifted glaze.

6 servings

Easy

Sicily

FacileSicilia

Aggrassatu is a meat dish with an intense character and a tender texture, built around the slow cooking of veal with onions. It's a dish suitable for lunch or dinner, where you want a substantial meal, yet not weighed down by complex condiments. Its distinctive feature is the sauce: the onions, cooked until they fall apart, are transformed into a smooth, velvety glaze that envelops the slices and maintains the balance between sweetness, saltiness, and the aroma of the wine. eye of round, browned before cooking, acquires a more flavorful surface and maintains a neat shape thanks to the tying. The recipe is indicated as a traditional Sicilian preparation and can be made with Marsala or with dry white wine.

Instructions

Voice reading

10 steps · natural Italian voice

Tie the eye of round

Tie the eye of round of veal with kitchen twineThis will help it maintain its compact shape during cooking and allow for regular slicing once cooled. Make sure the string is tight, without squeezing the meat too tightly.

Brown the meat

Heat plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan on a high edge and brown the eye of round on all sides. Turn carefully until the surface turns a uniform golden brown: this stage should create a noticeable browning without burning the oil.

Add the onions

Add two tablespoons of water and add the thinly sliced white onions. Stir and let it cook. over medium heat, turning the meat when necessary, until the onions begin to brown slightly and soften in the pan juices.

Deglaze with wine

Pour the Marsala, or dry white wine, and let it evaporate over medium heat. Wait for the alcoholic aroma to fade and the liquid to reduce, collecting any browned residue from the bottom of the pan with the spoon. saucepan.

Cover with water

Add hot water until the meat is almost completely covered. Season with salt to taste and pepper, then bring the bottom to a light boil: the liquid should simmer without boiling violently, to prevent the meat from toughening and the onions from sticking.

Cook slowly

90 min

Continue cooking over medium heat for about an hour and a half, turning it every now and then eye of roundMaintain a gentle simmer and watch as the onions break down completely, turning into a soft, even base while the meat finishes cooking.

Let the meat cool

When the eye of round it's cooked, take it out of the oven saucepan and let it cool. Keep it whole during this stage: once it's cold, it will be easier to cut it into even slices, without breaking the flesh or losing the juices retained in the pulp.

Thicken the icing

Check the sauce left in the saucepan And, if the onions aren't thick enough yet, continue cooking without the meat. The dish is ready when the onions are completely softened and the sauce appears thick, soft, and free of excess liquid.

Sieve the sauce

Pass the onion sauce through a sieve to obtain a smooth and uniform glaze. Perform this step when the mixture is still warm and works with the back of a tablespoon, so the sauce can coat the slices without leaving any coarse residue.

Slice and serve

Once cooled, cut the meat into even slices and arrange them on a plate. Add the sifted onion glaze, spreading it evenly over the meat: the result should be tender slices accompanied by a thick, smooth, and flavorful sauce.

Chef's Tips

The editors recommend continuing to cook the sauce after removing the meat, until the onions are completely softened and the glaze is thick enough to evenly coat the slices.