Beef cheeks “braised” with bread sauce (2007)

After working at Le Calandre with Massimiliano Alajmo, then later taking on the post of executive chef at La Montecchia (another restaurant of the Alajmo family), Enrico Bartolini opened his own locale in the heart of Oltrepò Pavese, in the Pavia province. Here he offers dishes such as this astonishingly tender beef cheek that is first “braised” (cooked at low temperature for 36 hours in a steam oven), then browned on one side and finally served with a sauce made from smoked bread and tomatoes roasted in vinegar.