🥩 Ingredients:
- 1 kg beef (chuck, shoulder, or any tender cut)
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 400g crushed tomatoes (or 2 tbsp tomato paste)
- 1 cup water or beef broth
- ½ cup red wine (optional but traditional)
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- ¼ tsp allspice (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Pasta: bucatini, spaghetti, or penne
- Grated cheese: Parmesan or Greek Kefalotyri
🔥 Instructions:
- Brown the beef in olive oil until it gets a nice color.
- Add onions and garlic, sauté until soft.
- Stir in tomatoes, wine, water, and all the spices. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2–3 hours until the meat is tender.
- Add vinegar at the end and adjust salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta separately in salted water, drain, and serve with the stew on top.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese and fresh parsley if desired.
💡 Tips:
- Slow cooking is key — it makes the beef melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- The spices give it a deep, aromatic flavor — don’t skip them!
- Even better the next day, as the flavors develop overnight.
