Stew in Crust with Potatoes and Mushrooms

Name: Stew in Crust with Potatoes and Mushrooms
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 140 min
Total time: 185 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Beef pulp 1.1 lbs; Blond beer 1.7 oz; Potatoes 1.1 lbs; Champignon mushrooms 7.1 cups; Vegetable broth 2.1 cups; Thyme 2 sprigs; Celery 1 rib; Carrots 2; Onions 1; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Butter &frac23; cup; Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups; Blond beer 3.5 oz; Eggs 1; Fresh liquid cream 1 spoonful

610

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 610
Carbohydrates g 55.9
of which sugars g 5.7
Protein g 29.7
Fats g 28.9
of which saturated fat g 14.21
Fiber g 5.3
Cholesterol mg 149
Sodium mg 653

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 20 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Spezzatino in crosta is one of those Italian comfort foods that just makes everyone feel at home. Seriously good. Picture this: a tender beef stew, slow-cooked with carrots, onions, and celery, mixed with moist potatoes and earthy mushrooms. All this gets tucked into a crispy beer-infused pastry crust. And look, this is what sets the ricetta spezzatino in crosta apart—the pastry is made with beer, giving it a unique aroma, making every bite taste really different from your average stew pie. In Northern Italy, especially around Lombardy and Piedmont, folks are big on rich, hearty stews like spezzatino di manzo. Wrapping it in a crust takes it way, way up.

Thing is, the slow cooking lets the flavors really come together, resulting in a super tender, saucy filling inside a golden, crunchy shell. And the sauce? Perfect every time. What makes this dish special is the attention given to the outside, not just the inside. The beer in the pastry brings a tangy note that pairs perfectly with the savory stew.

People often serve spezzatino al forno at family gatherings or when guests are over. For sure. It feels special and very homey. You'll find plenty of variations—sometimes funghi porcini for a stronger mushroom taste, or different herbs for a twist on the classic stufato in crosta. So here's the thing, this dish isn’t just for winter; it pops up at Sunday lunches, holiday tables, anytime someone wants to make sure everyone leaves full and happy.

All those flavors soak into the crispy crust, giving you a bit of everything in each forkful—meaty, juicy, and just the right amount of crunch from the crust. That's what makes spezzatino tradizionale a go-to for anyone who loves big, bold, and satisfying Italian food. Whether you're enjoying it with family or friends, this dish brings a sense of warmth and comfort that only genuine Italian cooking can provide. Pretty much a must-try.

INGREDIENTS

610

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the stew: Beef 1.1 lbs (500 g) - pulp; Blond beer 1.7 oz (50 ml); Potatoes 1.1 lbs (500 g); Champignon mushrooms 7.1 cups (500 g); Vegetable broth 2.1 cups (500 ml); Thyme 2 sprigs; Celery 1 rib; Carrots 2; Onions 1; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

for the beer-based shortcrust pastry: Butter ⅔ cup (150 g); Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g); Blond beer 3.5 oz (105 ml)

for brushing: Eggs 1; Fresh liquid cream 1 spoonful

Preparation

How to prepare Stew in Crust with Potatoes and Mushrooms

To prepare the stew in crust with potatoes and mushrooms, start with the stew: clean the beef pulp from any excess fat 1, or have your trusted butcher do this for you, then divide the pulp into pieces 2 and cut it into cubes about 1/2 inch 3.

Brown the meat in a large pot with extra virgin olive oil 4 for a few minutes over high heat and deglaze with the beer 5. Cut the celery, carrot, and onion into coarse pieces and add them to the meat, stirring occasionally. Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes into pieces and add these to the meat as well 6.

Cover the ingredients with hot broth 7, add salt and pepper, and add the thyme sprigs 8; stir and finally add the cleaned and sliced champignon mushrooms 9. Cover the pot with a lid and let the stew simmer for about an hour over low heat, adding broth from time to time if necessary.

While the meat is cooking, prepare the beer-based shortcrust pastry: blend the flour with the cold diced butter in a mixer 10 to obtain a sandy mixture. Transfer the mixture onto a work surface and form a well in the center where you will add the cold beer 11. Gather the ingredients by first whisking with a fork in the center 12;

then continue with your hands 13, kneading until you get a smooth and soft dough 14. Wrap the shortcrust pastry in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes 15.

When the meat is very tender and the stew is quite dry and not too brothy, turn off the heat and let it cool 16. Take the beer-based shortcrust pastry and divide it in half, then roll out the first part into a sheet, with the help of a rolling pin, about 1/8 inch thick 17. Line a 10-inch diameter baking tin with parchment paper 18 and

cover the baking tin with the first sheet of shortcrust pastry 19, cutting off the excess pastry with a pasta cutter to obtain an edge about 1/2 inch high 20. Fill the crust with the cold stew 21 and

press it a bit with the back of a spoon on the sides to form a kind of mound in the center 22. Roll out the other half of the pastry into a 1/2 inch thick sheet and use it to cover the stew 23. Remove any excess pastry and press the edges to seal and close the pastry 34.

Make a hole in the center with the tip of a knife, which will serve to let the steam escape during cooking 25; with the pastry scraps, form small leaves or decorations of your choice to embellish the pastry 26. Slightly score the edge of the shortcrust pastry with the tines of a fork to obtain a decorative effect and to seal the edges well 27.

Brush the surface of the shortcrust pastry with an egg beaten with a little cream or milk (28-29) and bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 50 minutes (if a fan oven, 320°F for 40-45 minutes). Take the stew in crust with potatoes and mushrooms out of the oven when the surface is nicely golden brown 30: wait a few minutes to let it cool slightly and serve your stew in crust with potatoes and mushrooms!

Storage

Store the stew in crust with potatoes and mushrooms in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 2 days.
You can freeze it already in the crust either cooked or raw, thaw it, and then heat or bake it in the oven as described in the recipe.