Fassona tartare with savory custard
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 40 min
- Cook time: 10 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: High
PRESENTATION
Fassona tartare is one of those dishes that really makes you stop and think about what's on your plate. From the Piedmont region in Northern Italy, this beef tartare recipe stands out, thanks to the special Fassona breed—known for its super tender and lean meat. What’s great about this dish is how it takes something classic and gives it a fresh twist. Really fresh. Instead of just going with the usual raw beef and seasonings, it pairs the meat with a salted anglaise sauce—basically, a savory spin on the creamy custard you’d usually find in desserts. The result? A mix of silky textures and subtle, tangy flavors that feel both familiar and totally new at the same time. It’s the kind of thing you might see at a modern Italian spot where they’re not afraid to play around with tradition, but it still feels right at home with other raw beef classics like Carpaccio di manzo and Bistecca alla tartara.
Folks in Piedmont really, really know how to make high-quality Fassona beef the star of the show, and this dish proves it. The meat has a clean, almost sweet taste that stands up to the light seasoning and the little kick from the savory anglaise sauce. Every bite is moist and just melts away, so you end up wanting more. Really, you do. Compared to other Italian raw beef appetizers, this one feels a bit more fancy, but not in a way that’s hard to understand. But pretty simple, actually—it’s still about letting the main ingredients shine. You’ll notice how the salted custard brings out the richness in the beef, making the whole thing pop without being overwhelming. Whether you’ve had plenty of tartare before or you’re just getting into these kinds of dishes, Fassona tartare with salted anglaise sauce is a smart, tasty way to see what makes traditional Italian cuisine so good at turning simple things into something special. It’s inventive, a little playful, and totally worth trying if you want to taste something that really shows off Piedmont’s best flavors. So, enjoy this unique dish that beautifully captures the core of Italy's culinary traditions. For sure.
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INGREDIENTS
- Beef filet 1.1 lbs (500 g) - fassona
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Thyme to taste
- Arugula to taste
- For the savory custard
- Fresh liquid cream 0.42 cup (100 g)
- Whole milk 0.42 cup (100 g)
- Egg yolks 4.8 tbsp (68 g) - (from about 4 medium eggs)
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.4 oz (40 g) - at room temperature, to be grated
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- For the bread croutons
- Bread 100 - Tyrolean loaf
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
How to prepare Fassona tartare with savory custard
To prepare the Fassona tartare with savory custard, start with the custard. Heat the milk and cream in a double boiler until it almost boils 1. Then turn off the heat. Meanwhile, break the egg yolks (from about 4 medium eggs) into a bowl and add the warmed liquids 2. Stir well 3
and return to the double boiler 4. Keep stirring continuously while waiting for the temperature to reach 180°F 5. For accuracy, it is highly recommended to use a kitchen thermometer. At the end of cooking, you can check if it is done by running your finger over the back of the spoon. If the two parts remain separate, meaning the top doesn't run downwards, then the liquid mixture is perfectly cooked 6.
Transfer the double boiler to a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking 7 and immediately add the grated Parmesan 8, salt, and pepper. Stir well to melt the cheese and set aside your savory custard 9.
Move on to the croutons to accompany your Fassona tartare: slice the bread (we chose a rustic Tyrolean bread, but feel free to choose your favorite) and cut into cubes about 1/4 inch 10, toss them in a pan with some oil 11 and sauté over high heat, shaking the pan often, until they become golden; set these aside as well 12.
Finally, take care of the meat. Thinly slice the Fassona fillet (the meat must be very fresh) 13; if necessary, you can also remove any fat strands, then flatten each slice with the back of a knife 14. Cut the slices into strips 15
and then into small cubes about 0.2 inches 16. As you go, place them in a bowl and immediately drizzle with some oil 17. Mix well to coat the meat with the fat 18.
Then you can season with salt, thyme, and pepper 19. Stir again, and finally, move on to plating. With two spoons, shape the tartare into quenelles: just scoop some mixture and shape it with the two spoons, passing it back and forth to form oval mounds 20. As you go, place the quenelles on the plate 21,
garnish with arugula and some sautéed bread cubes 22. Add some ground black pepper, if you like, a few more drops of oil, and then some Parmesan shavings if you prefer, using a potato peeler 23. Finally, pour the custard into a bowl and serve your Fassona tartare with savory custard immediately 24!