Meat mains
Beef stewed in red wine with farfalle pasta
This beef pasta sauce takes a bit of time to marinade, but it's simple to make and tastes meltingly lovely. French in origin, this would typically have been mixed with macaroni and baked with Parmesan and Gruyère. To lighten it up a little, the meat is served over delicate farfalle - the pasta shaped like bow ties, or butterflies, depending on your imagination. It would also be nice with wide ribbons of pappardelle. Leftovers would go well with mashed potato or celeriac.
Cook's notes
A scattering of chopped fresh herbs - parsley, chives or basil - would give it a less autumnal feel. Or some gremolata - a mixture of finely chopped garlic, parsley and grated lemon zest . Remember that pasta only requires a relatively small amount of meat sauce so you may have some left over. Like all stews it freezes well and can be even better than the first time around when gently reheated. You can also try adding a cinnamon stick for the long simmer.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 350ml red wine
- 70ml red or white wine vinegar
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 2 carrots, cut into batons
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- a strip of orange peel
- bundle of herbs - bay, parsley, thyme or oregano - tied together
For the stew
- 600g diced stewing beef
- 4 tbsp oil for frying
- 100g streaky bacon, chopped
- 2-3 shallots or 1 medium onion, chopped
- 500g farfalle pasta
- 20g diced butter
- Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve
- fresh herbs to garnish - parsley, chives or basil, finely chopped (optional)
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Mix the marinade ingredients together. Turn the beef in the marinade and leave in the fridge for several hours, or overnight. Remove the meat and pat dry, reserving the marinade.
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Step 2
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a casserole. Fry the bacon and shallots or onion for 5-10 minutes, until the bacon has released some of its fat. .
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Step 3
Remove the bacon and shallot from the pan and heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add the beef and brown all over. You may need to do this in batches - try not to crowd the pan. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bacon.
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Step 4
Strain the marinade through a sieve, then fry the vegetables in the casserole for 5-10 minutes in the remaining 1 tbsp of oil.
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Step 5
Pour in the marinade liquid and add the herb bundle - the beef should be just covered with the liquid. If not, add some water. Season with salt and pepper and bring the pot to the boil.
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Step 6
Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook very gently for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. By now the meat should be very tender. Discard the herb bundle.
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Step 7
Cook the farfalle in plenty of boiling salted water, drain and scatter with diced butter and Parmesan, toss and divide between warmed bowls. Spoon over some of the beef in red wine and scatter with fresh herbs if using.