The Best Authentic “Trippa alla Romana” (Roman Style Tripe)

In Rome, tripe was traditionally eaten on Saturdays, but these days you can find it every day on a traditional trattoria menu.

The dish is made with thin, precooked strips of tripe slowly cooked with tomatoes, onions, and mint and then topped with a generous dusting of sharp and salty Pecorino Romano.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 quarts cold water
• 2 1/2 pounds honeycomb beef tripe
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 ounces pancetta bacon, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 3 cups marinara sauce
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, or to taste

METHOD:

1. Combine water, tripe, vinegar, salt, vanilla, and bay leaf in a large stockpot over high heat. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that accumulates. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Transfer tripe to a plate and set aside to cool. Reserve 1 to 2 cups of the cooking liquid.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and onion; cook and stir until pancetta is browned and onion is translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir garlic into pancetta mixture; cook and stir until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir marinara sauce, 1 cup reserved tripe liquid, and red pepper flakes into the pancetta mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Cut tripe into 1-inch cubes and add to marinara-pancetta sauce; stir to combine. If needed, add 1 cup of the reserved tripe liquid. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Mix garbanzo beans and mint into the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese and serve.

Recipe from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222402/roman-style-tripe/