Ingredients:
For the Pašticada:
2.5kg beef cheeks
1l red wine
50ml red wine vinegar
2 brown onions, diced 2mm thick
2 carrots, diced 2mm thick
2 celery stalks, diced 2mm thick
3 whole cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
200ml extra-virgin olive oil
100g prosciutto, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tomatoes, diced
3l beef stock
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
200g tinned pitted prunes (or ready to eat prunes), diced
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp prune jam (if you can find it!)
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
For the for dumplings:
1kg waxy potatoes (eg desiree)
240g plain flour
50g unsalted butter
1 egg
50g grated parmesan cheese
Method:
In a bowl, mix together the red wine, vinegar, onion, carrot, celery, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Add the beef and turn to coat. Cover the bowl and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate over night.
The next day, take the beef out of the marinade, strain to separate the vegetables and the liquid and reserve both for later.
Place a deep frying pan over high heat. Add the oil and use to sear the beef cheeks on both sides for about a minute a side. Remove the beef with tongs and set aside. Pour in the reserved marinade liquid and use to deglaze the pan. Take off the heat and set aside.
Set a large saucepan (or flame-proof casserole) over high heat, add the prosciutto and cook, stirring often until crispy. At this point add in the garlic, reserved vegetables from the marinade and the spices. Stir fry this mixture for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
When the vegetables are cooked add the tomato and continue stir-frying for a further five minutes. Now add the seared beef cheeks, the deglazing liquid and the beef stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and braise the beef for 90 minutes.
During this time, prepare the dumplings. Put the potatoes, unpeeled, into a saucepan of boiling water and boil until cooked (about 25 minutes). Drain and peel remove their peel whilst still hot (use a tea towel to prevent burns).
Pass the peeled potatoes through a ricer. Transfer the potatoes into a bowl and combine with the flour, softened butter, egg, parmesan and season with salt. Taste to make sure it’s sufficiently seasoned.
Whilst still warm, roll the dough into 2cm balls and roll a fork over them. I did all of this on baking paper, as they started to stick on my wooden board. When the stew is almost ready cook the dumplings in boiling, lightly salted, water for three minutes, or until they come to the surface. Gently take them out of the water with a slotted spoon, drain.
After the beef has braised for 90 minutes, add the peeled apples and pitted prunes and cook for a further 60 minutes, or until the cheeks are cooked. You should be able to push your fingers through the cheek but it should still have some resistance.
When the cheeks are cooked, remove the beef, cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the braising liquid and set aside.
Skim any scum off the surface and then use a stick blender to blend the liquid (and vegetables) until smooth.
Adjust the flavour using the mustard and jam – you are looking for a good balance of sweet and sour.
Divide the beef cheeks among warmed serving plates and pour the sauce over and add the dumplings to serve.
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