Corsocan Beef

Corsocan Beef

Ingredients
25g dried porcini mushrooms
6 garlic cloves
900g stewing beef cut into 5/2cm cubes
115g thick bacon cut into strips
45ml olive oil
2 onions sliced
300ml cup dry white wine
30ml/2tbsp passata (or thick pureed tomatoes or sin dried tomato paste.
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Spring of rosemary
1 bay leaf
225g large macaroni
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 30 mins, drain and set the mushrooms aside and reserve the liquid. Cut three of the garlic cloves into thin strips and insert into the pieces of the beef by making little slits with a sharp knife. Push the bacon into the beef with the garlic. Season the meat with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in heavy based pan, add half the beef and brown well on all sides. Repeat with the remaining beef. Transfer to plate. Add sliced onions to pan and cook until lightly browned. Crush the remaining garlic and add to the onions with the meat.

Stir in the white wine, passata, mushrooms, cinnamon, rosemary and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 30 mins, stirring often.
Strain the mushroom liquid and add to the stew with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer the stew very gently for about 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Cook the macaroni in a lager pan of boiling, salted water for 10 mins or until al dente.
Server onto a warmed service platter on the top of the pasta, garnish with parmesan, ground pepper and parsley.