Ossobuco alla Fiorentina (Braised Veal Shank)

Ossobuco requires time. Ossobuco, a sliced veal shank, is one of the typical cuts of the Italian cucina povera, cheap but highly rewarding and satisfying if treated with care. The most famous ossobuco recipe comes from Milan. They braise the ossobuco in bianco, without tomato sauce, with onions, white wine, and beef stock, and serve it sprinkled with gremolata, a condiment made of finely minced lemon zest, garlic, and parsley, with saffron risotto. In Tuscany, we braise it in tomato sauce, with a generous base of battuto (minced vegetables such as onion, carrot, and celery). Serve it with a spoonful of soft polenta, some boiled potatoes, or only a loaf of bread, which will serve both to mop the sauce on the plate and to spread the marrow on it. Scooping the marrow from the bone and smearing it on a toasted slice of bread is my favourite part of the ossobuco eating experience, and this is probably the reason I had to learn how to cook them properly.