Spezzatino

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“This comforting stew is widely eaten in the north of Italy. I like to start it on the stove and then finish it slowly in the oven.” – Abigail Donnelly

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 kg beef chuck
1 T flour
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
100 g pancetta, finely chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
6 leaves sage
2 sprigs rosemary
1 T capers
a handful Italian parsley, chopped
2 x 70 g cans tomato paste
1 x 400 g can peeled and diced tomatoes
½ cup white wine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Toss the beef in the flour and seasoning. Fry until golden brown, then remove from the pan.

2. Add the pancetta onion, carrots, celery and garlic and fry until golden brown. Add the sage, rosemary, capers, parsley, tomato paste and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Deglaze the pan with the wine, then simmer for 5 minutes. Return the beef to the pan, season and cook over a low heat for 3–4 hours, or until soft and tender. Serve with sautéed cavolo nero or kale leaves.

Cook’s note: Make a double batch and freeze half. Top with puff pastry and bake as a pie.

Find more Italian recipes here.

Photograph: Jan Ras
Food assistant: Bianca Strydom