Italian Steak Recipe -Palermo Style

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A Palermo Style Italian Steak Recipe or Bistecche alla Palermitana. A perfectly grilled rib-eye steak topped with a salty crunchy mixture of garlicky capers over a bed of broiled tomatoes.

Palermo Style Italian Steak on a Bed of Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

The Italian Steak of Your Dreams

I’v been meaning to post this since we got back from Sicily, because Palermo-Style Italian steak is a thing around here. Over polenta, mashed potatoes, sliced in an olive bread sandwich and even this dairy-free mac and cheese. You an’t go wrong with this recipe.

But first let me just say: I miss Palermo! The poster child for the perfection of imperfection, we really had a thing for each other. Should I start raving about Teatro Massino and have a Godfather moment or go back to the steak?!

Maybe we can have a movie night and watch the entire Godfather trilogy up to the finale when Michael goes back to Palermo to watch Anthony perform at the one and only Teatro Massino. We could do it in our PJ’s with these steaks on our lap while remembering Michael Corleone’s wise word to live by: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”

Okay, back to the recipe because otherwise I’ll take you back in time to that summer in Sicily, and traveling across the Island all the way to Taormina, the Sicilian village that served for the village of Corleone in the Godfather series.

Buildings Palermo SicilyDon Corleone Art Shop in Taormina Sicily

About the Rib Eye Steaks!

These are legit! No marinade, simply rubbed with olive oil and seasoned well with salt and pepper before being seared to perfection on a cast iron pan/ griddle then finished under the broiler with capers, garlic, anchovy and a bread crumb topping.

 

Meanwhile I also broil some sweet juicy cherry tomatoes with a splash of white wine or lemon juice and some thyme, just until the juices burst into the perfect sauce.

Italian Rib Eye Steak Cooking on a Cast Iron PlateItalian Steak with Tomatoes, Capers and Bread Crumbs

Why these Italian Steaks make a great Christmas dinner

  • Super tasty and easy to make even for a large family.
  • Totally festive: red and green served on white plates, this has Christmas written all over it!
  • The moment of truth: a steak Siciliano beats a turkey dinner any day.
  • You are going to look like a rockstar without slaving In the kitchen all morning when you should be opening presents instead!

Italian Recipes

 

Italian Steak Recipe

Italian Steak Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Italian Steak Recipe -Palermo Style

A Palermo Style Italian Steak Recipe: perfectly grilled rib-eye steaks topped with a salty crunchy mixture of garlicky capers over a bed of wine broiled tomatoes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 rib-eye steaks organic grass fed
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lb grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 3 leave thyme sprigs sonly
  • 1 anchovy
  • 1 1/2 tbsp capers
  • 1 tbsp bread crumbs plain
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • a splash of white wine dry
  • sea salt to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat your broiler.
  • Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and allow them to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.
  • Slice the tomatoes and add them to a broiler proof dish. Drizzle with a lug of olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt. Add half of the thyme leaves and a splash of wine.
  • Broil the tomatoes for a few minutes until they burst and are charged around the edges and the top. Transfer to a serving plate together with all the juices.
  • Meanwhile drizzle the steaks with a lug of liv oil and sprinkle generously with the salt and pepper. Massage the oil and spices into the steaks with your hands and set aside.
  • Preheat a cast iron pan or griddle on medium high flame and sear the steaks for 3 minutes on each side for a medium rare steak.
  • in a small bowl combine the capers, garlic, anchovies, bread crumbs with a lug of olive oil. Spoon the mixture on top of the steaks and transfer them to the broiler for a couple of minutes until golden brown on top, making sure not to burn them.
  • Transfer the steaks on top of the broiled tomatoes and serve garnished with the remaining thyme leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

Make sure to allow your steaks to rest at room temperature before cooking, one of the most important steps when cooking steak.
Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 2
Author: Florentina

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29 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Amazing! I’m a beginner and this was one of the best dinners I’ve ever had. I did use crab instead of anchovies, but I think it would be great either way. I loved the tomatoes, so I made them again with salmon.

  2. 5 stars
    Absolutely divine! I made for the two of us tonight and there isn’t a better recipe. Thanks for sharing we loved it

  3. Oh that looks amazing. Would be a great anniversary dinner, have the hubby make it and just sit back and enjoy. He is a much better cook than I am.

  4. Steak is always my husband’s dinner request for his birthday. I need to share this recipe with him. I know he’ll love it.

  5. This would be a good New Year’s eve meal I think. It’s tasty and it would go well with all the different kinds of alcohol and drinks that people has then.