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Pašticada
Dalmatian wine-and-prune braised beef with gnocchi
Split and the Dalmatian coast reserve pašticada for weddings, christenings and Christmas, and the preparations start days ahead. A piece of beef is studded with garlic and cured ham (so this recipe contains pork), marinated overnight in wine vinegar, then braised for hours with onions, dried prunes, tomato and a little sweet Prošek or red wine until the sauce turns dark, glossy and sweet-sour. In Split it is always served with homemade gnocchi; pasta works too. This recipe uses red wine and dried figs or prunes; for an alcohol-free version use grape juice with a spoon of red wine vinegar. The common mistake is rushing the braise: it needs a low, steady heat for at least three hours. Chef's tip: blend the cooked onions and prunes back into the sauce for that velvet texture.
- Total time
- 280 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the beef
For the braise
To serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Make deep slits all over 3 ⅓ lb beef silverside or topside, in one piece with a small knife and push in 6 garlic cloves, strips of 2 ⅛ oz pancetta or prosciutto (pork) and 6 whole cloves.
Step 2: Put the beef in a non-metal dish, pour over ¾ cup red wine vinegar, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours, turning once.
720 minStep 3: Lift out the beef, pat dry and rub with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy casserole and brown the beef well on all sides over a medium-high heat, 10 minutes. Lift out.
10 minStep 4: Lower the heat, add 3 onions, 2 carrots and 5 ½ oz celeriac or celery and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until soft and deep golden.
20 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato purée for 1 minute, then pour in 1 ¼ cups red wine (or the alcohol-free swap) and bubble for 3 minutes.
4 minStep 6: Return the beef, add 12 dried prunes, 2 cups beef stock, 2 bay leaves and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg. Cover and braise on the lowest heat for 3–3½ hours, turning the beef every 45 minutes and adding a splash of water if needed, until a fork slides in with no resistance.
200 minStep 7: Lift out the beef and rest it under foil for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and blend the sauce until smooth and glossy. Season with salt and 1 tsp sugar for a sweet-sour balance; simmer to thicken if thin.
15 minStep 8: Cook 2 ¼ lb potato gnocchi in a large pan of salted boiling water until they float, 2–3 minutes. Drain.
3 minStep 9: Slice the beef thickly, return to the sauce to warm through, and serve with the gnocchi coated in sauce. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge and improve; reheat until piping hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 58 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pašticada take?
- About 280 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 240 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of whole cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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