Stewed Beef with Cavatappi

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. stew beef (3 inch cubes)
• 2 cups cavtappi noodles
• 2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan reggiano
• 2 tsp. tomato paste
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 strips of bacon
• 1 1/2 cups cups white wine (or cooking sherry or wine vinegar or stock)
• 1 large onion (two smaller ones) sliced
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper

Cooking

1. take the cubed meat and poke 2 holes in each piece (I had 8 pieces that measured 3 inches in diameter) with a knife. take 4 of the garlic cloves and 2 of the pieces of bacon cut them into small strips and stick the strips into the holes in the meat. season the meat with salt and pepper and cumin.
2. in a heavy-based pan, add the rest of the bacon and cook until fat seeps out. once fat is visible in pan, add in the meat and brown on each side. remove the meat and bacon from the pan and set aside. add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until lightly browned. crush the remaining garlic cloves and add them and the mushrooms to the pan. stir together for a minute.
3. return the meat and stir and mix well for 30 seconds to a minute. stir in 1/2 cup of the wine, tomato paste, cinnamon, bay leaf and season with more salt and pepper. cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
4. pour in the rest of the wine (if mixture is not covered with the liquid, add in some water/stock till the mixture is just barely covered with liquid) and let simmer on low heat for 3 hours or until the meat is very tender.
5. boil cavatappi in a pot of water until al dente (I cooked the noodles in boiling water for 5 minute, then let them sit in hot water for another 5 minutes then drained them). remove the meat from the pan and place on a plate. place the noodles in a bowl and add the parmesane and pour in the meat gravy sauce mixture and mix and combine the noodles and cheese with this in the bowl. place noodle mixture next to the meat on a plate and pour remaining gravy-sauce over both the meat and the pasta and serve. I like to serve arugula tomato salad with this.

bon appetit