What is beef carpaccio

A. It's a dish of thin slices of raw beef, usually in a marinade of olive oil or lemon. It is often accompanied by a salad and dotted with flakes of parmesan cheese.

Q. Where was the dish invented

A. Beef carpaccio was invented at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. The restaurant named the dish in honour of the Venetian artist Vittore Carpaccio, a painter during the Renaissance period.

Q. How was it originally served

A. Originally carpcccio consisted of paper thin, nearly translucent slices of raw beef, fanned out on a plate like the petals of a flower, and drizzled with creamy mayonaise. Today carpaccio can be almost anything that is thinly sliced.

Q. What are the essential ingredients

A. Good quality fillet steak, Tuscan olive oil, freshly ground salt and pepper.

Q. How has the dish been adapted

A. At Terremia in Boston, they use filet mignon, which is served with shaved parmesan cheese, argula salad and a white truffle dressing. The Red Bar in Southampton, New York combines beef sirloin carpaccio with olives, capers, balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese.

Q. Is it a starter or a main course

A. It can be either; serve on a large platter with salad garnish; or on individual plates as a light and tasty starter to a more hearty main Italian course.

Q. Can you give a good recipe

A Take 8oz of very thinly sliced fillet steak; a pinch of salt and pepper; some oilve oil; the juice of a lemon; 2oz of parmesan cheese. If you need to slice the beef yourself put it in the freezer for an hour to harden and then slice. Put the slices of beef in clingfilm and beat with a meat tenderiser. Mix the lemon and olive oil. Season the beef and brush with the olive oil mixture. Leave for half an hour. Serve with grissini.

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By Katharine MacColl