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SERVES 4
Before the Tuscans coined the word bistecca for a T-bone steak, it went by the name carbonate, literally carbon steak, since it was cooked over a charcoal flame. Tradition recalls that the name bistecca took hold after some eighteenth century Englishmen visiting Tuscany saw the steak being grilled in the town square, and cried out "beef steak" which then became bistecca.
The meat is from a special breed of cows called Chianini, which is low in fat and juicy, owing to the grasses that the cows feed on. A true bistecca is cooked on the outside but remains fairly raw inside. It is served with arugola or other salad greens and the dish is also called tagliata, meaning cut into slices.
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