Northern Italian–Style Pot Roast

Northern Italian–style pot roast

Recipe courtesy of The Italian Home Cook by Silvia Colloca, Macmillan Publishers, RRP $39.99

Italian home cooking is plentiful and varied, the miraculous compound of 21 regions each eager to protect and showcase its character and heritage. The further north you travel, closer to the border with France on one side and Switzerland and Austria on the other, the more likely you are to be exposed to phenomenal food featuring slow-cooked meats, such as this pot roast with the unassuming name of stracotto (super cooked). It may sound like the Italian word for hangover, but ultimately it refers to the cooking time. In this case, the meat is simmered gently in a soffritto and red wine broth until it is so soft you don’t need a knife to cut through it, and the sauce is so velvety rich that one taste reminds you of how incredible home cooking can be. Serve with soft polenta for ultimate pleasure.

Northern Italian–style pot roastServes 4

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 100 g pancetta, cut into cubes
  • 850 g chuck steak, cut into chunks
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 400 ml red wine
  • 750 ml (3 cups) good-quality beef or vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

SOFT POLENTA

  • 400 g (2 2⁄3 cups) instant polenta
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano

Method

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the pancetta and steak and brown for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Add the remaining olive oil to the dish, then add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Return the pancetta and steak to the dish and deglaze with the wine, scraping up any bits caught on the base. Allow it to bubble away for 1–2 minutes to cook out the alcohol. Add the stock and tomato paste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Braise, turning the steak occasionally, for 4 hours or until it is fork tender. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
  3. Meanwhile, to make the soft polenta, bring 3 litres of salted water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Slowly rain in the polenta, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps forming. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes or until silky and not at all grainy. Season to taste with a little salt and stir in the parmigiano, keeping in mind that the polenta will soon be coated with the stew, so take care not to overdo it.
  4. Spoon a ladleful or two of polenta into each bowl, top with the stracotto and season with pepper.

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