Trippa alla Romana

Guido Pedrelli
Guido Pedrelli
Italian Cuisine Expert and Food Blogger
Guido Pedrelli
Guido Pedrelli, the mastermind behind Nonna Box, has honed his culinary expertise for decades, inspired by family feasts in Emilia-Romagna. Mentored by his restaurateur nonna, he mastered Italian classics and furthered his skills with professional culinary studies in desserts and gelato making from Mec3. Today, he shares this rich legacy and authentic recipes through Nonna Box.
Expertise: Italian cuisine, Pasta, Pizza, Pastry, Dessert

What is Trippa?

Trippa or tripe is obtained from the three cavities between the esophagus and the stomach. The prestòmaci is the rumen (the largest sac-shaped part, also called tripe, cross, cross, belly, smooth tripe or busecca), the reticulum (or cap, a small sac with a globular appearance, also called cap, nest of ‘ape, bonetto or beretta) and the omasum (ovoid-shaped covered internally by a mucous membrane composed of lamellae, from which the different names derive: millefogli, libro, centopelli or foiolo). 

In some regions of Italy, however, such as in Lombardy, the first part of the small intestine of the calf and ox is also considered tripe. It is called riccia (curly or French tripe), and it is particularly rich. In Lazio is known as Paiata. Also in Lombardy, in addition to ruminant tripe, tripe, i.e. the pig’s stomach, is also used. Lamb tripe is rarely used in Italy except for in some traditional Abruzzo dishes.

In any case, different types of tripe that we find on the market today are already cleaned and partially pre-boiled. The washing and bleaching methods used for this operation considerably affect its gastronomic quality (aggressive detergents, or excessively long cooking damage the tripe). For this reason, if you want to prepare an excellent tripe, it is best to contact a trusted butcher, expert in the treatment of this delicate meat.

Tripe Nutritional Information

Tripe is a rather rich food, with a high protein content (16/18%, similar to that of veal). Its presumed poor digestibility however, is not so much due to the fat content (4%), as to the abundance of seasonings and flavorings used for its preparation. The same can be said for the calories of tripe -100 g of tripe develop 106 kcal – a value that usually increases dramatically when the recipe is completed. The sore point of tripe is represented by the abundant quantity of cholesterol, but considering that you don’t eat tripe every day you shouldn’t be alarmed.

Classic Roman Trippa alla Romana

Trippa in Italy

Tripe is part of the Italian culinary culture: each region has its own traditional recipe, and even a different sensitivity and appreciation, due to the varying uses and habits. Tripe is such a consolidated presence on our tables (and on those around the world), that the recipes that see it as the protagonist are really many. Some consider tripe a soup (the Lombard Busecca, the Paduan Sopa de Tripe, or the Neapolitan tripe soup), others a second course (the tripe alla bolognese – with Parmigiano – or that alla Lucchese – with cheese and cinnamon), others still a sandwich filling (the famous Florentine street-food based on Lampredotto or the Calabrian morzello which is enjoyed with the traditional Pitta Calabrese bread), and even canned food!

Trippa alla Romana is a classic dish consisting of tripe cooked in a fresh tomato sauce.

Trippa alla Romana

The traditional Roman recipe for Trippa alla Romana.
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Main Course, Meat
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 290kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2.2 lbs) tripe if possible whole and not pre-sliced
  • 400 g (1.67 cups) peeled tomatoes
  • 1 (1) onion
  • 1 (1) stick of celery
  • 1 (1) carrot
  • 1 (1) clove of garlic
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • 1 carton (4 cups) Vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch (1 bunch) Mint
  • Grated Pecorino Romano to taste
  • Salt and pepper or chilli to taste

Instructions

  • Rinse the tripe well under running water. In a large pot, put the tripe to boil in plenty of salted water along with a sliced ​​carrot, a stalk of celery in pieces, an onion and a bunch of parsley.
  • When the water boils, lower the heat to low and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Let it cool.
  • Prepare a soffritto with the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic clove.
  • In an earthenware pan, add the extra virgin olive oil and the soffritto at low heat. Gently soften the vegetables, stirring often until they are translucent.
  • Slice the tripe into strips and pour it into the pan when the sauté begins to brown.
  • Cook for a few minutes, stirring, then add the chopped tomatoes, add salt and pepper and continue cooking for about an hour.
  • During this time stir often and add a ladle of broth or hot water when necessary, bearing in mind that at the end the tripe must be immersed in a generous sauce.
  • When cooked, pour the tripe into the serving dish and complete the dish with plenty of grated pecorino and chopped mint leaves on top.
Serving: 150g | Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1235mg | Potassium: 928mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3420IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg
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