Carpaccio was created in 1950 by Arrigo Cipriani, owner of the famous Harry’s Bar in Venice, for countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo, as the doctors forbad her from eating cooked meat. The name was chosen by Cipriani because the colours of the raw meat and the sauce reminded him of the paintings of Vittore Carpaccio, which were on display at the time. Nowadays, the term is also used to describe fish-based dishes such as raw salmon, swordfish or octopus cut into thin slices.
The Basic Carpaccio Recipe
Ingredients for 6 servings
Time 15 mins
800 g thin sirloin slices
with no lace fat or nerves
300 g extra-virgin olive oil
4 egg yolks
1/2 lemon
mustard
Worcestershire sauce
salt
ground black pepper
How to make carpaccio
Place the yolks in a bowl, add a tablespoon of mustard, the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt, then slowly add the olive oil while whisking.
Stir the mixture always in the same direction and continue to slowly add olive oil until it becomes thick and mayonnaise-like.
Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and, if you like, a tablespoon of vinegar. Share the carpaccio between the plates and pour the sauce on top or serve on the side. Finish with black pepper to taste.