Pearà

Pearà

Type	Sauce
Course	Main course
Region or state	Verona, Veneto
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Bread crumbs Stock Beef marrow Black pepper
Ingredients generally used	Butter Extra virgin olive oil Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano

Pearà (Venetian term, literally "peppered") is a traditional Veronese sauce made with bread crumbs, beef and hen stock, beef marrow and black pepper. It is served exclusively together with bollito misto, making Lesso e pearà (lesso is Venetian for bollito), a typical dish unique to Verona and its surroundings.

Ingredients and preparation

Preparation of pearà is closely linked to that of lesso, from whose stock it's made and whose meats it accompanies. Stock is made by simmering beef, hen and herbs (carrot, onion and celery); the complete recipe also includes calf's head and oxtail.

Pearà requires a long, slow cooking; for its thermal properties, a traditional terracotta pot is to be preferred. First off the bread crumbs are mixed in the pot to the melted marrow and butter; afterwards scalding hot stock is added with a ladle while stirring continuously. The pot is then left to simmer for at least two hours, to obtain the desired creamy and thick texture. The sauce's namesake abundant, freshly ground black pepper is added towards the end of the cooking. Some recipes also add olive oil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.