Pastitsada (Beef in Tomato Sauce from Corfu)

The long, slow cooking results in one heck of a sauce!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  lbs  boneless  veal shoulder, in one piece,rolled and tied (or beef)
• 4  cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1  cinnamon stick (about 3 inches long)
• 5  allspice berries
• 3  whole cloves
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  cup dry red wine or 1  cup white wine
• 3  tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2  large onions, finely chopped
• 2 (1 1/2lb) cans whole tomatoes, drained
• 3⁄4 teaspoon sugar
• 1  pinch cayenne
• 1  lb ziti pasta or 1  lb penne
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 2  ounces  grated parmesan cheese
• 2  ounces  grated pecorino romano cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Rub veal with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
3. Make shallow incisions all over meat and insert thin slices of garlic, using about half.
4. Heat 3 tblsps olive oil over medium-high heat until rippling; add meat and sear on all sides.
5. Add remaining garlic, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf.
6. Reduce heat to very low.
7. Cook, covered, 10 minutes, shaking casserole 2 or 3 times to prevent sticking.
8. Add wine and vinegar, increase heat to high.
9. Heat to boiling, then remove from heat.
10. Cover casserole tightly with foil; place lid securely over foil.
11. Bake 30 minutes.
12. Carefully remove lid and foil; turn meat with wooden spoons so as not to pierce; replace foil and lid; bake 30 minutes longer.
13. Heat remaining 3 tblsps oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until rippling.
14. Stir in onion; reduce heat to medium.
15. Saute until onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
16. Stir in tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, sugar, 1/8 tsp pepper and cayenne.
17. Reduce heat to low.
18. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, 20 minutes.
19. Remove casserole from oven and increase oven temperature to 375F.
20. Pour sauce over meat; replace foil and lid.
21. Bake 3-4 hours, or until beef is fork-tender.
22. Remove casserole from oven.
23. Transfer meat to heatproof platter, cover with foil to keep warm.
24. Remove and discard bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice and cloves from sauce.
25. Let sauce stand a few minutes; degrease.
26. Use a small amount of the fat removed from the sauce to grease a wide, shallow, 4-quart baking dish.
27. Cook pasta until al dente.
28. While pasta cooks, put butter into a small saucepan and melt over medium-low heat.
29. Let butter brown.
30. This is knows as beurre noisette.
31. It should be very fragrant.
32. Add browned butter to pasta along with half of grated cheese.
33. Toss to coat.
34. Add 2 cups of tomato sauce and toss again; turn into baking dish.
35. Until veal roll and cut into ½ inch slices.
36. Arrange in overlapping row over pasta.
37. Pour remaining sauce over all.
38. Bake, covered with foil, 10 minutes.
39. Uncover, bake 10 minutes longer.
40. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve.