Meat and Stock Sauce (Italian Pearà Veronese)

Pearà is probably the most representative recipe of Verona cuisine. It really represent the soul of Veronese dishes, deep rooted in the peasant traditon in which nothing had to be wasted and with very simple and humble ingredients they were able to prepare tasty dishes. Pearà means "peppered" in veronese dialect. It's a creamy sauce made with ingredients that in the past were considered scraps by noble and rich family: old, hard bread and bone marrow. Today, together with green parsley sauce, grated horse radish, mostarda (pickled candied fruit in spicy syrup) its one of the main accompaniment of the typical boiled meat tray served in traditional Veronese restaurants. Preparation of pearà is closely linked to that of lesso, from whose stock it's made and whose meats it accompanies. Stock is made by simmering beef, hen and herbs (carrot, onion and celery); the complete recipe also includes calf's head and oxtail. Pearà requires a long, slow cooking; for its thermal properties, a traditional terracotta pot is to be preferred. First off the bread crumbs are mixed in the pot to the melted marrow and butter; afterwards scalding hot stock is added with a ladle while stirring continuously. The pot is then left to simmer for at least two hours, to obtain the desired creamy and thick texture. The sauce's namesake abundant, freshly ground black pepper is added towards the end of the cooking. Some recipes also add olive oil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano.

1.1 lbs breadcrumbs (500 g)
3.5 oz beef bone marrow (100 g)
2.1 pts beef or chicken soup (1 L)
2 tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked
3.5 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (100 g)
3.5 oz of extra-virgin olive oil (100 g)
2 pinches sea salt

Pearà needs to be gently cooked for a long time so the ideal pot to cook it is an earthenware one. Alternatively you can also use a stainless casserole with a particularly thick bottom. A fire net it's also useful in order to have an even more gentle flame.

In the pot, with gentle fire, melt the bone marrow with few spoons of extra virgin olive oil stirring with a wooden spoon. In the mean time warm up the soup.

Add the breadcrumbs, salt, the ground pepper and the hot soup. Keep stirring until you have a uniform consistency with no lumps. Keep stirring until it boils, then turn the fire to the minimum. Add the remaining olive oil so that it creates a sort of "lid" over the pearà.

Let it cook with the lowest fire possible for two hours without stirring.
When ready add the Parmesan cheese and gently stirr.

Pearà has to have a nice creamy consistancy. It depend on personal tastes but Pearà has to be very spicy with pepper. Serve hot. It is excellent with boiled meet, especially with Cotechino, the typical salami made with pork meet and rind.