Greek Pastitsada From Corfu

Pastitsada is a speciality from the island of Corfu. It is traditionally made with rooster, but can also be cooked with veal. However, if these meats are not to someone's taste, it can easily be made with beef and is also tasty and we find that children usually prefer it this way.

Ingredients

1kg veal cut in cubes portion size or a rooster cut in individual portions.
½ cup olive oil
4 medium size onions cut in small pieces
5-6 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
¼ of teaspoon red chili powder
salt & pepper
1 full tablespoon tomato-paste
1 cup drained tomato cubes
1 cup red wine
½ kg pasta number 10
1 cup grated cheese (preferrably Greek kefalotiri)

Preparation

Clean the meat under cold water and drain it with absorbent paper.

In a large frying pan, warm up the oil and fry the meat until it has a golden colour outside but is not cooked inside.

Transfer the meat to a large saucepan and leave half the oil in the frying pan (the rest of the oil you don’t need)

Add the onions to the hot oil and fry them until golden brown.

Transfer them to the saucepan where the meat is.

Stir the meat with the onions and add the wine, cloves, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Boil until the wine has been absorbed.

Add the tomato paste and turn the meat to seal it somehow in the paste, and boil it with the paste for a few seconds (that helps the meat to soften and preserve the colour).

Add the tomato cubes and cinnamon sticks.

Add warm water to cover the meat.

Leave it to simmer for about 1 ¼ hours or until the meat is really tender and the sauce has absorbed the liquids and is thickened.

Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks.

Fill up a long bottom pan with water.

Add a tablespoon of salt and half tablespoon of olive oil (the oil prevents the pasta sticking).

Bring the water to boil.

Add the pasta cut in half.

When it is cooked (al dente) add one glass of cold water to the pan.

Drain the pasta.

Remove the meat from the saucepan, leaving the sauce.

Add the pasta to the sauce.

Serve it with some meat on top of the pasta on each plate.

Garnish it with a spoonful of grated cheese.


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Eat and Enjoy!