Tripe Di Calabria or Trippa con patate (Tripe and potatoes)
Mention the dish tripe or Tripe Di Calabria (cow intestine) and you’ll get the inevitable, “oh, I don’t like tripe” or “I don’t like the texture.” However, like many Italian delicacies tripe is misunderstood and when cooked appropriately has a wonderful flavor that is mild and subtle. In our house, tripe is a special occasion type of dish and made in the style of Calabria including carrots, potatoes, and celery. Up until the late 1970’s trough the mid 1980’s tripe was a bi-monthly dish in our parent’s small Calabrian village, but like many food traditions tastes are changing in southern Italy (as they are throughout most of Italy) and Trippa has become a special occasion type of meal (the whole snout to tail cooking/way of eating is slowly going away as more Western ways of eating are adopted by a younger generation of Italians).
Our version of Tripe Di Calabria or Trippa con patate (Tripe and potatoes) is easy to prepare (especially if you can find the pre-boiled tripe at your local market) so take a “food” leap of faith and make the dish for your family!
- 2-3 tablespoons of white or red wine
- One can of tomatoes or passato
- 4-6 potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher Salt and pepper
- 1.5 - 2 pounds of pre-boiled tripe, cut into small pieces
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped
- In a large pot add olive oil and cook the onion, carrot, and celery. Adding salt and pepper. Add the tripe and stir for a few minutes. Add the wine and stir. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf. Stir and cover with a lid. Cook (simmer) for 30 minutes and add the potatoes. Cook for another 15 minutes (45 minutes total) or until the ingredients are tender.
- Note: you should purchase pre-boiled tripe (cut in pieces) if possible (as they do in Italy). If not, you'll need to boil the tripe ahead of time
I’m with you on this one, Vince. I’ve always loved tripe. It has a wonderful earthy flavor—although I have to admit, I haven’t made it in years. Used to prepare it often when I was living in Italy, where you can find it pre-cooked. Takes less than an hour to make!