Beetroot Carpaccio

The ash-roasted beetroot carpaccio by chef Alessio Sebastiani brings to the table a vegetable that almost seems to change its skin. The beetroot is worked into soft, glossy slices, deep in colour, with a dark and intense shade that immediately fills the plate. The ash adds a more textured, slightly smoky idea, giving character without taking away elegance. It is a vegetable dish, but not a fragile one: it has presence, structure and a flavour that stays.

The tomato compote brings a livelier, juicier side, adding sweetness, acidity and a bright red note that connects beautifully with the beetroot. The arugula pesto moves the dish towards green, with a fresher, herbaceous and slightly peppery touch. This contrast is exactly what makes it interesting: the beetroot brings depth, the tomato opens the flavour, and the arugula cleans the palate and gives rhythm to each bite.

Raspadura is the detail that changes the way you read the carpaccio. Thin, pale, almost light to the eye, it brings savouriness and a different softness, more milky, more enveloping. In the photo, you can clearly see how it falls at the centre of the plate, over the dark red of the beetroot, creating a sharp but natural contrast. It does not cover the vegetable, it supports it, adding the rounder part that makes the dish complete.

What makes this ash-roasted beetroot carpaccio work is that it stays fully vegetable, but with a very clear character. The beetroot brings earthiness and sweetness, the tomato compote adds intensity, the arugula pesto brings freshness, and the raspadura closes with flavour and delicacy. Every element has a precise role, without forcing the dish. It is a colourful, deep and clean carpaccio, made for those looking for a vegetable bite that is not obvious, but full of personality.