Instructions

1. Rinse the tripe under cool running water until it runs clear and you don't feel any debris or grit on it. Place the tripe comb-side up on a cutting board.

2. Sprinkle kosher salt over the tripe. Rub your palms and fingers vigorously over the tripe to clean it. Place the tripe comb-side down on the cutting board and repeat. Rinse the tripe again and smell it. It should have no odor or debris on it. Continue cleaning, if needed.

3. Position a kitchen knife at a sharp angle against the exterior of the tripe, or the side without combs, with the broad side of the blade facing towards you. Drag the blade of the knife away from you, scraping off the fat and connective tissue as you go. Remove as much fat and connective tissue as you can from the tripe and discard it.

4. Place the tripe in a pot and cover it with about 3 inches of cold water. Place the pot on the stove and set the heat to medium-high. Cover with a lid, and leave it slightly ajar.

5. Simmer washed tripe for about 2 hours, and simmer unwashed tripe between 4 and 6 hours, or until you can tear it apart with your hands easily. Replenish the water, as needed, to keep the tripe covered.

6. Remove the tripe using tongs and place it in a food storage container of ice water to cool it down rapidly. Drain the tripe in a colander and reserve the cooking liquid.

7. Pat the tripe dry with paper towels after removing it from the ice bath. Place the tripe on a cutting board and slice it into strips measuring 2 ½ to 3 inches long and about 1/2-inch wide with a kitchen knife. Set the tripe aside.

8. Heat a few tablespoons of diced pancetta and a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan with straight, tall sides and place it on the stove over low heat. Cook until the fat renders out of the pancetta, about 10 to 12 minutes.

9. Add the battuto, sometimes called soffritto or tritto, to the pan and set the heat to medium. Battuto is basically an Italian version of mirepoix, and usually consists of 2 parts roughly chopped onion to 1 part each roughly chopped celery and carrots, along with a few tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley and minced garlic. You can also use shallots or leeks instead of onions.

10. Cook the battuto until caramelized and golden-brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Pour about 1/4 cup of red wine or stock in the pan to deglaze as soon as you hear the pancetta crackling. Scrape the bottom of the pan with the wooden spoon when you add the liquid, and point your face away when pouring. Set the heat to low when the liquid cooks off.

11. Add 6 or 7 peeled and diced Roma tomatoes, or 2 cans of peeled and diced Italian tomatoes with juice, for every 2 pounds of tripe. Stir to incorporate.

12. Add aromatic ingredients, or aromatics for short, to the pan to braise the tripe with. Aromatics commonly used in Italian cooking include Turkish bay leaves, celery leaves, fennel fronds and whole black peppercorns, to name a few.

13. Add fresh or dried herbs to the pan. This is where you can really get creative and build on the flavors of the pancetta, battuto and tomatoes. Don't worry about mincing fresh herbs or cutting them evenly, just tear them into a few pieces or roughly chop them. A tripe dish cooked in Italy might include oregano, mint, rosemary basil, thyme and sage. You don't have to add every herb you can think of -- just those you think taste best.

14. Set the heat to medium-high and bring the tripe to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add a few cups of stock, and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a pinch or two or red pepper flakes, if you like a little heat.

15. Simmer the tripe for 1 ½ to 2 hours and taste. Chew the tripe. Cooked tripe will have a gelatinous consistency, not a chewy one. Adjust the consistency of the sauce as needed with the reserved water you simmered the tripe in.

16. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir in some freshly grated Parmesan, asiago or romano, if desired. Finish by tearing in some fresh herbs.