Peposa a la Fornica

This is the food that Brunelleschi served to the workers who worked on the Duomo dome in Florence. He didn't want them to have to travel up and downing the scaffolding in order to eat. He worried that that would tire them out, and the building of the dome would take an unacceptably long time to complete. He did have a sense that this would seal his name in history--and he was right about that. So he provided them with meals and wine--simple, hearty, flavorful meals. This is a recipe which starts with a tough (and inexpensive) cut of meat, adds garlic, Chianti, and peppercorns in volume, and comes out with a richly flavored, melt in your mouth textured beef that is divine. Beef Stew, Kiln Worker's-Style Ingredients: 2 Lb. Beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized chunks 10 Cloves garlic, peeled, but left whole 1 - 2 Tbs. Crushed black peppercorns 3 - 4 Cups Chianti Classico Salt 4 1 in. Slices rustic bread 1 Clove garlic, peeled and halved Preparation: Pre-heat the oven to 250 F. Place the meat and garlic in an ovenproof casserole. Sprinkle the crushed peppercorns over all. Add enough red wine to cover the meat by approximately one inch. Bring the casserole to a simmer on the stove, then cover, and place the casserole in the center of the pre-heated oven. Cook, adjusting the heat so the stew barely bubbles, for approximately six hours. If the liquid reduces too much while the stew cooks, add hot water to compensate. At the end of cooking, the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, and the meat should be falling apart. Taste, and season the stew with salt as necessary.