Francina

When we are in Florence we always appreciate Vito Mollica's excellent food. We have been following him since his stint at the Four Seasons Prague, and he is now at the Four Seasons Florence, running a one Michelin starred restaurant.

When we ate here last night, Vito served, among other things, this amazing beef dish. I'm not a huge beef fan but I ate two portions. It was too good to miss. Here is the recipe:

• 2 lbs. beef shoulder or chuck leftovers (I will use the leftover meat from the Matzo ball soup we make)
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 lbs. finely chopped red onions

Shred the meat into small pieces and set aside. Heat up the oil and add the onions.

Soften over medium heat and then lower the heat and add the tomato paste. Cook over very low heat for two hours. Add the meat and cook another hour, adding a couple of tablespoons of water if needed.

Vito serves this with black truffles and demi-glace. You can serve it as is or drizzle some black truffle oil into the mixture and stir to distribute the flavor. The dish should not be watery but nice and moist.