Pašticada

Ingredients13

• Beef round (or eye of round)1.2 kg
• Onion, finely chopped2
• Garlic cloves, minced4
• Carrot, sliced1
• Red wine300 ml
• Red wine vinegar2 tbsp
• Tomato paste2 tbsp
• Dried prunes, pitted and halved100 g
• Dried figs, halved80 g
• Olive oil3 tbsp
• Bay leaf2
• Whole cloves4
• Sugar, salt and pepperto taste

Method

1. Marinate the beef in red wine, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, bay leaf and whole cloves for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Pat the beef dry, heat olive oil in a heavy pot and brown the meat on all sides; remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot sauté the chopped onion and sliced carrot until softened, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
4. Return the beef to the pot, add the wine‑marinade, dried prunes, dried figs, and the sugar‑salt‑pepper mixture; bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 2–3 hours until the meat is fork‑tender.
5. Remove the beef, slice it, and continue simmering the sauce uncovered to thicken to a glossy consistency; adjust seasoning and serve the slices over gnocchi or wide pasta ribbons.