Horse Stew in Pignata

As winter advances and temperatures begin to drop, Apulian cuisine warms up with rich and hearty dishes like horse stew in pignata. This traditional dish, typical of cold family evenings, draws its charm from the choice of fresh and genuine ingredients, such as tender horse stew, which is particularly appreciated in this region for its flavorful and lean meat. The cooking technique in pignata, a terracotta pot, allows the flavors to remain intact and results in meat that literally falls apart at the first bite, thanks to the slow cooking over gentle heat. The addition of a mixture of onion, garlic, and carrots, along with aromatic herbs like rosemary and bay leaf, further enriches the dish, making it perfect for a Sunday lunch or a dinner among friends. Served with a side of mashed potatoes or polenta, horse stew in pignata becomes a true tribute to Apulian culinary tradition, capable of warming even the coldest evenings.

We buy half a kilo of horse stew from our trusted butcher. We then take a tall pot and pour in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Separately, we prepare a mixture of onion, garlic, carrot, chili pepper, and parsley. We pour everything into the pot with the oil and let it flavor. We also add a whole bay leaf and a sprig of rosemary. When the mixture is well browned and flavored, we add the meat stew and immediately cover with plenty of water. We add a teaspoon of coarse salt, a few peppercorns, cover, and let it cook covered on low heat for two hours. After the two hours are up, we take a terracotta dish: we prepare a mixture with a little white onion, add a small clove of garlic, and let it brown with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. We add the tomato paste and dilute it with a couple of ladles of the meat cooking broth. We then remove the meat from its cooking broth and transfer it into the sauce. We adjust the salt, cover, and let it flavor and reduce just right for about half an hour.