Ingredients

Method

• 1 kg boneless shin, in one piece
• olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 x 400 g cans chopped tomatoes
• 2–3 T tomato paste
• 2 cups beef or chicken broth (or substitute half with red wine)
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ t crushed red chilli (optional)
• 400–500 g long macaroni or penne, for serving
• grated Italian Parmesan, for sprinkling

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.

In a heavy casserole, brown the meat all over in a few spoonfuls of hot oil. Remove and season.

Reduce the heat then add the onion to the pot, with a little more oil if necessary. Cook, stirring now and again, until softened.

Stir in the garlic then add the tomato and tomato paste. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a bubble.

Add the bay leaf, chilli, if using, and some seasoning. Cover directly with a sheet of greaseproof paper then with the lid.

Bake for about 3 hours or until meltingly tender. Remove and shred the beef. Return to the sauce and check seasoning. If using macaroni lengths, break into 2 or 3 pieces. Boil the macaroni or penne in well-salted water, until just tender.

Drain and toss with a little olive oil if you like. Serve with the stewed beef and a bowl of freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling.

Cook’s note: If you like, serve a bowl of arrabiata sauce on the side.

Per serving: 2412.7kJ, 42.4g protein, 33.3g fat, 26.9g carbs

TASTE’s take:

Argentina has a large Italian population, so, at steakhouses, a pasta menu is off ered along with the grills. The less tender cuts of beef are slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce, until soft enough to cut with a spoon.