Corsican Beef Stew with Macaroni

My Husband bought me a new cookbook this weekend and in it I found a recipe for a Corsican dish so I thought I would share it with you.

25g/1oz dried porcini mushrooms
6 garlic cloves900g/2lb stewing beef, cut into 5 cm/ 2 in cubes115 g/4 oz lardons, or thick streaky bacon cut in to strips
45ml/ 3 tbsp olive oil2 onions sliced
300 ml/1/2 pint cups of dry white wine
30ml/2 tbsp passata , thick pureed tomatoes, or Sun-dried tomato paste
pinch of ground Cinnamon
sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
225 g/ 8oz 2 cups large macaroni
50 g/20z 2/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Soak mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, 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 lardons or pieces of bacon into the beef with the garlic. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and add half the beef and brown well on all sides. Repeat with the remaining beef. Transfer to a plate. Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Crush the remaining garlic and add to the onions with the meat.
3. Stir in the white wine, passata, mushrooms, cinnamon, rosemary and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 30 minutes stirring often. Strain the mushroom liquid and add to the stew with enough water to cover. Bring to boil, cover and simmer the stew very gently for about 3 hours or until the meat is very tender.
4. Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Lift the pieces of meat out of the gravy and transfer to a warmed serving platter Drain the pasta and layer in a serving bowl with the gravy and cheese. Serve with the meat.
Bon appetit.
thanks to:
italian cooking
the definitive encyclopedia of fabulous italian food
capalbo whiteman wright boggiano
by JG Press
P. 352