Noce di Manzo alla Pizzaiola (Italian Beef Knuckle Pizzaiola)

3 days ago
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Updated: 1 day ago

Noce di Manzo alla Pizzaiola (Italian Beef Knuckle Pizzaiola)

Story of the Dish

Noce di manzo is a lean compact hindquarter muscle, often compared approximately with beef knuckle or sirloin tip. It is less tender than filetto but extremely useful for thin steaks, involtini and quick skillet preparations.

Alla pizzaiola is a natural application: thin beef slices are seared briefly and finished in a fresh tomato sauce with garlic, oregano and olive oil. The meat should remain tender while the sauce stays bright rather than heavy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1¾ lb (800 g) noce di manzo, cut into thin steaks about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 can, 28 oz (800 g), whole peeled San Marzano style tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp (1 g) crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, divided
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice, optional

Preparation

Remove the beef from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, pat dry and gently flatten any slices thicker than ¼ inch (6 mm). Season lightly.

Heat a wide sauté pan over medium high heat with 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil. Sear the beef in batches for 30 to 45 seconds per side, then remove before it cooks through.

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining oil and sliced garlic and cook about 30 seconds without browning. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half.

Add crushed tomatoes and oregano and simmer 10 to 12 minutes until slightly thickened but still fresh and fluid.

Return the beef and juices to the pan and cook only 1 to 2 minutes. Finish with parsley and optional lemon, then serve immediately.

Professional Technique

Noce is lean, so pizzaiola should not be treated as a long braise. The beef and sauce are cooked separately and reunited only at the end.

Uniform thin slicing is critical because uneven pieces cook at different rates. The tomato sauce should remain loose enough to moisten the beef without burying it.