Ingredients
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For the Coratella
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800 g Lamb's coratella
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1 OnionBig
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As you like Chili pepperOptional
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130 ml Extra virgin olive oil
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As you like Salt
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As you like Pepper
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120 ml White wineDry
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To clean the Coratella
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Up to cover everything WaterFresh
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1 glass Vinegar
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2 leaves Bay
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For the artichokes
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4 ArtichokeIf you can find them, either romaneschi mammole or violetti
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2 Lemon
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As you like Extra virgin olive oil
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0,5 glass Water
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Fresh, as needed Water
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1 clove Garlic
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As you like Salt
Directions
The coratella alla Romana or corata, is the term used to indicate the innards of the animal, usually of small size, such as lamb, rabbit or chicken. Corata is an ancient traditional dish of poor cuisine, a child of central Italy and specifically of Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio and Marche.
The preparation of this particular recipe varies from region to region, in fact it can be made fried, stewed, with potatoes, with artichokes as Roman cuisine provides, or with onions as Umbrian cuisine dictates. Because each region has its own variation for this recipe, you can often end up misled by the corata recipes found online. But never fear, in this recipe we are going to cover the one, true made in Rome Coratella alla Romana recipe. If you are a lover of strong flavors, and if you normally like to eat liver, then you will love this dish.
Corata consists of parts that are tougher to cooking, such as lungs and heart, and more tender parts, such as liver, kidneys and spleen. For this reason, after washing the corata thoroughly, and cutting it into small cubes, you should divide it into two parts for cooking: lungs and heart first, and after a few minutes add the rest. An important tip is to soak the pluck in water, vinegar and bay leaves for two hours before cooking.
Today I explain this humble but flavorful and tasty dish, consumed in Italy especially for the Easter season.
Steps
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1
Done
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Clean the innards of excess fat and rinse them under fresh water, then soak them for two hours in a bowl with cold water, half a glass of white vinegar and two bay leaves; this will serve to clean them well and remove the somewhat strong smell. |
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2
Done
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While the raw coratella is resting soaking in the water, take care of the artichokes: flake the artichoke by removing all the darker, tougher outer leaves until you uncover the heart from the light, tender leaves. Remember to wear gloves when cleaning the artichokes otherwise your hands will blacken. |
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3
Done
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With a paring knife (or a small, smooth-bladed knife) trim the stem, removing the tough outer part by reaching to the heart. The stems of artichokes are fabulous and very tender, by far the sweetest part. |
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4
Done
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Trim the stem, leaving just two centimeters attached to the head, and slice it into rounds, then plunge it into a large bowl with water and lemon juice. |
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5
Done
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Now take care of the artichoke head, split it in half and with a small knife remove any stubble (usually, Romaneschi Mammole type of artichoke do not have this but it can be found occasionally), then slice into strips and add to the bowl of sour water. Repeat the process with all the other artichokes. |
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6
Done
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Drain the artichokes and stems in a colander, rinse quickly and pat dry with a tea towel. In a large nonstick skillet, pour in a round of extra virgin olive oil and a clove of garlic, which you will brown over medium-low heat. Now add the artichokes with their stems cut into rounds, add salt as you like and let them cook for about 15 to 20 minutes over moderate heat and with the lid on, stirring occasionally. If they should dry out, add half a cup of water. Once ready, keep them aside. |
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7
Done
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After the time for the Coratella to rest has elapsed, rinse it again and cut it into small cubes with a well-sharpened smooth-bladed knife or scissors. The smaller the cubes, the faster the Coratella will cook while remaining soft. |
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8
Done
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Take care to separate the tough parts such as the lungs and heart, from the more tender parts such as the liver, spleen and kidneys, placing them in two different bowls. |
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9
Done
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Take a large frying pan, pour a generous round of extra virgin olive oil, and add the sliced onion, then let the onion wilt over a low flame and with the lid on. The onion should remain soft and not brown, mind you! |
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10
Done
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As soon as the onion is soft, add the heart and stir, after a few minutes also add the lungs always stirring to give flavor, let it cook 6-7 minutes, and finally add the remaining tender parts (liver, kidneys and spleen). |
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11
Done
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Mix everything carefully, add salt and pepper as you like, and when all the coratella has taken on color, deglaze with the white wine, letting it evaporate over medium-low heat until you can no longer smell it. |
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12
Done
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Continue cooking for approximately 15 minutes with the lid a tiny bit off and the heat always moderate. Halfway through cooking, add the chili pepper if you want, stir and finish cooking for about another 15 to 20 minutes. In short, the coratella should cook slowly for a total of 35-40 minutes, depending also on how small you have cut the various parts. Do not overcook it, otherwise you risk hardening it. Remember, if you can't tell by sight, tasting is always a safe option. |
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13
Done
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If it dries out a bit too much during cooking, add half a glass of water, stir and continue, the coratella should not be dry, so always pay attention to the heat, let it be gentle. |
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14
Done
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When the coratella is cooked add the artichokes and mix everything together. Serve the Coratella alla Romana accompanied by slices of toasted bread and maybe some good, aged red wine! |
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15
Done
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Tips1. Cooked coratella alla Romana can be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator inside a food container. |
