Carpaccio

Carpaccio is a starter of very thinly sliced raw beef fillet, served cold and dressed at the table. It is one of the best-known Italian antipasti outside Italy.

What it really is

The classic dish is made from raw beef tenderloin (fillet) that is chilled, wrapped and sliced paper-thin, often with a meat slicer, then laid flat on a plate. The slices are dressed with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper, and topped with shavings of Parmesan and sometimes rocket leaves. The beef is never cooked, so the quality and freshness of the meat matter more than the technique.

Carpaccio was created in the 1950s at Harry's Bar in Venice, where it is said to have been invented for a guest who could not eat cooked meat. The dish is named after the Venetian Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio, whose paintings were known for their vivid red tones. It differs from vitello tonnato, which is cold poached veal with a tuna sauce, and from bresaola, which is salt-cured and air-dried beef rather than fresh raw meat.

How it's served

• Served cold as a first course, usually on a chilled plate.
• Eaten with bread, typically a crusty Italian loaf or grissini.
• Often finished with a few rocket leaves and extra Parmesan shavings at the table.
• Usually accompanied by a light white or sparkling wine.

How to write it on the menu

• Write "Beef carpaccio" with the key ingredients: thinly sliced raw beef fillet, olive oil, lemon, Parmesan.
• Flag milk (Parmesan) and note that the beef is served raw.
• State the cut and whether the beef is tenderloin or another cut, and mention any rocket or capers added.
• Variants to state: fish carpaccio (raw fish such as salmon or tuna) or vegetable carpaccio, which must be named as such.