Beef Carpaccio Crostini
Paper-thin raw beef on crisp toasts with arugula, capers, and shaved parmesan
- 8 ozbeef tenderloin(trimmed, partially frozen for slicing)
- 1baguette(sliced thin)
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil(best quality)
- 2 cupsbaby arugula
- 2 tbspcapers(drained)
- 2 ozparmesan cheese(shaved)
- 2 tbspfresh lemon juice
- flaky sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Slice beef up to 4 hours ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Assemble crostini just before serving.
- 1Partially freeze beef tenderloin for 30 minutes to firm up for slicing
- 2Using very sharp knife, slice beef paper-thin against the grain
- 3Arrange slices on plate, cover, and refrigerate
- 4Toast baguette slices until golden and crisp
- 5Drizzle beef slices with olive oil and lemon juice
- 6Season with flaky salt and pepper
- 7Place small mound of arugula on each crostini
- 8Top with folded slice of dressed beef
- 9Garnish with capers and parmesan shavings
- 10Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired
- 11Serve immediately
Use only the highest quality, freshest beef from a trusted source. Partial freezing is essential for paper-thin slicing. A sharp knife or meat slicer is crucial. The beef should be deep red and glistening. Let it come to cool room temperature before serving for best flavor. Trust good ingredients to shine.
Beef carpaccio was invented in 1950 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy — one of the 20th century's most storied restaurants. Cipriani created the dish specifically for Countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo, a regular patron whose doctors had prescribed a diet restricted to raw meat. He sliced the finest beef tenderloin paper-thin and dressed it with his house sauce — a light emulsion of mayonnaise and Worcestershire he called his "Universal Sauce." Cipriani named the dish after the Venetian Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio (c. 1460–1526), whose canvases were famous for their vivid crimson tones; a major Carpaccio retrospective was being held in Venice that same year, making the name doubly resonant. The dish was inspired by carne cruda alla piemontese, a Piedmontese raw beef preparation, but Cipriani transformed it into something distinctly Venetian and entirely original. Harry's Bar, which opened in 1931 thanks to a chance act of generosity when Cipriani lent money to a stranded American named Harry Pickering, attracted clientele including Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, and Truman Capote. Presenting carpaccio on crostini transforms the classic plate preparation into an elegant one-bite party format, adding the crunch of toasted bread to the silky, delicate beef.