Pastitsada — Corfu Beef and Pasta Stew
Authentic pastitsada Corfu beef pasta — slow-braised chuck with cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and bay over hilopites. 6 generous servings, 3-hour braise.
Ingredients
For the beef braise
- 1.5 kg beef chuck or short ribs 3.3 lbs, cut into 5-6 cm / 2-2.5 inch chunks
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 4 clove garlic minced
- 240 ml dry red wine 1 cup -- Agiorgitiko, Xinomavro, or a robust Merlot
- 400 g crushed tomatoes 14 oz / 1 can
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 240 ml beef stock or water 1 cup
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- pinch sugar optional, to balance acidity
Spice bundle (whole spices)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 allspice berries whole
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
For the pasta
- 400 g hilopites 14 oz Greek egg pasta squares, or penne or rigatoni
- salt generous pinch for pasta water
To serve
- 60-80 g kefalotyri cheese 2-3 oz, grated -- or Parmesan as a substitute
Instructions
- Remove the beef from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat every piece completely dry with paper towels.
- Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown beef in batches of 4-5 pieces without crowding, 2-3 minutes per side until deeply colored. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef. Total browning time: 15-20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook onion 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until slightly darkened. Pour in red wine, scraping up all browned bits. Raise heat and reduce wine by half, about 5 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, stock, salt, pepper, and optional sugar. Return browned beef and collected juices to the pot. Add cinnamon stick, allspice berries, cloves, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover tightly and braise on lowest heat for 2.5 to 3 hours, until beef is fork-tender and sauce is thick and glossy. Check and turn beef every 45 minutes.
- Remove and discard all whole spices: cinnamon stick, allspice berries, cloves, and bay leaves. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 ladle of pasta water.
- Add drained pasta to the pot of braised beef. Toss gently over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve in wide bowls topped with grated kefalotyri or Parmesan.
Notes
Do not rush the browning step -- this is where the flavor foundation is built. Use whole spices, not ground. Reduce the wine fully before adding other liquids. The braised beef (through Step 7) improves significantly overnight in the refrigerator. Always cook pasta fresh just before serving. Best beef cut is chuck -- its intramuscular fat keeps the meat moist. A rooster or chicken version (pastitsada me kotopoulo) is traditional in Corfu -- reduce braise time to 1 to 1.5 hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 26g | Sodium: 680mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g