The weather is getting colder, nights are getting longer.....
Time for some braising!
This recipe is based on one from the "France, the Beautiful" cook book....
This is not quite a stew and not quite a pasta.
If possible, get 1 or 2 thick slices of dry-cured ham, like Prosciutto, from the meat counter.
Corsican Beef and Pasta
24oz beef, suitable for braising or stewing 700gr, 24.7oz round, trimmed
6oz dry-cured ham, Prosciutto, Serrano 170gr, 6oz
1 large onion 175gr, 6.2oz
4oz (125gr) mushrooms 125gr, 4.4oz
4 cloves garlic 12gr, .43oz
15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, with juices 425gr, 15oz
1 cup white wine 235gr, 8.3oz
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried Herbes de Provence
2 pinches nutmeg
1 tbs olive oil 13.5gr, .48oz
8oz (225gr) pasta, spaghetti or linguini 225gr, 8oz
Cut beef into cubes 1 - 1 1/2" (3cm), and ham a bit smaller. Roughly chop onions. Trim and chop mushrooms. Mince garlic. Heat oil in Dutch oven or small soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, mushroom and garlic and sauté until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add ham and beef and sauté, stirring, until all pieces are starting to brown. Roughly chop tomatoes and add to pot, along with the juices. Add wine, herbs, nutmeg and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow simmer (small bubbles just breaking the surface), cover and let cook for 2 - 3 hours.
To finish: Cook pasta according to package directions, just until al dente. Drain and immediately return to pan to low heat. Add 1 cup of the sauce from the beef (but no meat) and stir to combine and heat through. Arrange the pasta on a small platter or two plates. Remove bay leaves. Spoon some beef and ham on top or the pasta and serve.
Note: This serves 4 as is.
For two meals for two: cook half the pasta for each meal or cook it all at once and reheat the remaining half for the second meal by running hot tap water over it.
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Entire Recipe / per serving - serves 4
Calories: 3509 / 765
Total Carbohydrates: 210 / 52.5
Dietary Fiber: 9 / 2.25
Total Fat: 130 / 32.5
Saturated Fat: 46 / 11.5
Cholesterol: 547 / 136.5
Protein: 218 / 54.5
Calcium: 245 / 61.25
Sodium: 4555 / 1138.75
Glycemic Index: low / zero
I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it. I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.
