Pastitsada (Beef in Tomato Sauce from Corfu)

DIRECTIONS

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