Braciere Malatesta is a florentine restaurant run by the Baglioni family since 1954. The restaurant is located in Via Nazionale, in the historic center of Florence, near the main station. The restaurant serves typical Florentine dishes, prepared according to traditional or updated recipes: homemade pasta, sauces, stewed, roasted meat, pizza, the flagship of the tradition of Tuscan cusine, the Florentine T-bone steak. The Florentine T-bone steak at Braciere Malatesta is the classic, inimitable “FIORENTINA”, crispy on the outside and tender inside, essential characteristic of the good “flesh”, which make it a delight for the
palate. The Florentine T-bone steak at Braciere Malatesta is cooked on a characoal grill to absorb the aroma of the wood. During the cooking there are many stages, whichhave become the rule in the preparation of the “queen” of Florentine food. One of these stages provides that the meat is kept in upright position for a few minutes on T-bone, to warm the meat inside; this step is important otherwise the steak would reach the table cold and not very tasty. The steak is grilled a few minutes on each side, the time of this operation varies depending on the weight and thickness of the meat. at the end of the cooking, the meat is salted and peppered and served rare. This superb meat is obteined from the loin and has in the middle the characteristic T-bone that separates the fillet from the sirloin. The meat must be 5/6 cm thick or more and weighabout 1kg/1 kg and a half. To cook the Florentine steak at Braciere Malatesta we refer to the oldest and most authentic Tuscan tradition. The steak should be kept at room temperature at least for three hours before cooking, than it should be removed the residual moisture with a clean cloth. It should be cooked on the grill and turned only once without piercing it. When cooked, it should be placed for a few minutes on a chopping board to let it rest, to allow liquids of the meat to permeate the fibers of the meat. The meat served in the restaurant is all certified Chianina IGP meat and the “Scottona” is used for steak. Chianina is an italian bovine breed, once used as a draught animal. Chianina breed is named after Val di Chiana and is considered a native breed of central Italy. It has been known over 2000 years, even the roman poet Plinio il Vecchio wrote about Chianina and we find it in ancient books. It was also used by Etruscans and Romans as a draught animal. Moreover because of its white coat, it was used in triumphal processions and in sacrifices to some divinities. Still today we see it paraded during the procession of the famous Florentine historic football. It is a gigantic breed and is suitable for intensive breeding and pastures. The best “FIORENTINA” is obteined from the meat of this breed, as the flavour of the meat derives from the fact that its maturation process last for at least 15 days. Scottona is a female bovine aged between 18 and 24 months , which has never calved. It is also called “manza” or “giovenca”, but Scottona is that destinated to the sloughter. The origin of the name is uncertain, but probably derives from the fact that the female in the period of heat had a hot meat and hence the name “Scottona”, that means “hot”. The meat of a female is always more tender than that of a male, but that of Scottona is very low- fat meat, young, characterised by most mature meat tissues but not yet undergone to efforts, that is the reason of its tenderness. Moreover the small infiltrations of fat in the muscolar mass, which melts during
cooking, giving the meat an exceptional and unmistakable taste. This type of meat is to be found only in Europe where it’s strictly forbidden the use of hormones in animal farm to make their meat more tender. The Scottona has its natural hormones, just because it is in the phase of life in which it goes into heat. What’s the date of birth of the Florentine T- bone steak?Its origins are lost in the mists of time. The first historical news dates back to the celebration of the San Lorenzo festival on august the 10th, and to the family of Medici. In the evening the town was filled with bonfires, which became outdoor grills where
masters grillers grilled large quantities of veal for the hole population. It was a big town festival both for the summer atmosphere and for the abundance of the flesh. They say that once some English visitors were present at this festival who called the pice of meat they
had eaten “beef- steak” in their own language, hence the word “bistecca”. The Florentine T-bone steak at Braciere Malatesta has always been the preeminently main dish. We respect the original recipe of the dish and all the characteristics imposed by tradition that our ancestors have handed down to us. We select the most excellent meats although at
the high price. If someone try to sell you a cheap Florentine T- bone steak, beware of it! Certainly there will something fishy about it. Would you like to know more about our restaurant? Follow us on the
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