Guancia di Vitello Brasata con Purè di Fave e Patate Cotte alla Brace

Guancia di Vitello Brasata con Purè di Fave e Patate Cotte alla Brace is a traditional Umbrian dish featuring braised veal cheek served with a purée of fava beans and potatoes roasted over embers. The dish draws on Italy’s cucina povera heritage, transforming humble cuts of meat and seasonal legumes into a refined, soulful plate. Key ingredients include veal cheek, which is rich in collagen and becomes meltingly tender after slow braising in wine, broth, and aromatics; dried or fresh fava beans, cooked and puréed with olive oil; and potatoes, typically cooked directly in hot ashes or on a grate over coals to impart a smoky, earthy character. A great version achieves velvety, fork-tender cheek with a deeply concentrated sauce, while the fava purée remains smooth but not thin, and the potatoes exhibit a crisp, charred skin and fluffy interior. At Trattoria da Erminio in Assisi, as documented by creator JustUs on ReTubeIt, the dish exemplifies this balance, with the venue’s execution highlighting local ingredients and patient technique. Regional variations exist: in Tuscany, the fava purée may be replaced with chickpeas or omitted entirely, while in Lazio, guancia is often paired with celery purée or roasted artichokes. Some cooks finish the dish with a drizzle of aged balsamic or fresh herbs, but the Umbrian version remains loyal to the primal flavors of fava, ember-cooked potato, and wine-braised meat. The dish’s rustic elegance continues to win recognition, especially where chefs honor both tradition and terroir.