Pašticada

Dalmatinska Pašticada s Noklicama

The celebration braise of Dalmatia: beef round marinated overnight in vinegar and wine, larded with carrot and bacon, then slow-cooked with prošek and prunes until the sauce turns glossy and mahogany. Served over soft potato gnocchi, it is the dish Croatian families reserve for weddings, christenings and Sunday gatherings.

Prep

45 min

Cook

210 min

Total

255 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •1500 g (3¼ lb) beef round (top round or eye of round), one whole piece, silverskin trimmed
• •500 ml (2 cups) red wine (Dingac or Plavac Mali if possible), dry, full-bodied
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) red wine vinegar
• •4 cloves garlic, smashed
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• •1 tsp whole cloves
• •100 g (3½ oz) carrot, for larding, cut into long thin batons
• •80 g (2¾ oz) pancetta or bacon, sliced into thin strips for larding
• •2 tbsp lard or sunflower oil, for searing
• •2 whole (2 medium) yellow onions, chopped
• •2 whole (2 medium) carrots, for the braise, sliced
• •200 g (7 oz) celeriac, peeled and cubed
• •120 g (4¼ oz) pancetta, diced, for the braise
• •150 ml (⅔ cup) prošek, Croatian dessert wine; substitute with vin santo or sweet Marsala. A traditional small splash of brandy is sometimes added too
• •150 g (5¼ oz) dried prunes, pitted
• •200 g (7 oz) tomato paste
• •500 ml (2 cups) beef stock, plus more if needed
• •1 tsp sweet paprika
• •salt, to taste
• •black pepper, to taste, freshly ground
• •1 tbsp all-purpose flour, for dusting the meat
• •800 g (1¾ lb) potatoes for gnocchi, starchy variety such as russet
• •200 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour for gnocchi, plus extra for dusting; potato type will determine exact amount
• •1 whole egg, lightly beaten
• •salt for gnocchi dough, ½

Steps

1. 1 Marinate the beef: combine the red wine, red wine vinegar, smashed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves in a non-reactive container. Submerge the beef, cover and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours, turning once halfway.
2. 2 Make the larding mixture: blanch the 100 g carrot batons for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain and pat dry. Wrap each baton in a strip of pancetta. Using a long thin larding needle (or a narrow sharp knife), thread the pancetta-wrapped carrots deep into the beef in several directions. Season the larded meat generously with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour.
3. 3 Brown the beef: heat the lard or oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove and set aside.
4. 4 Build the braise: in the same pot, sauté the chopped onion until translucent, then add the sliced carrot, celeriac and diced pancetta. Cook for 5 minutes until lightly caramelized. Stir in the tomato paste and sweet paprika and cook 2 minutes more.
5. 5 Deglaze: pour in the prošek and let it bubble down by half, scraping up every brown bit from the base. Add the drained marinade (discard the aromatics), the prunes, the seared beef and enough beef stock to come about two-thirds of the way up the meat.
6. 6 Braise: bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to a 150°C / 300°F oven (or hold on the lowest stove setting). Cook for 3 to 3½ hours, turning the beef every 45 minutes, until a fork slides into the beef with no resistance. Internal temperature on a probe should read 95 to 98°C / 203 to 208°F for that fork-tender, falling-apart result. If the sauce reduces too much, add a splash of stock or water.
7. 7 Rest the meat: lift the beef onto a board, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest 15 minutes. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve, pressing the prunes and vegetables through; discard the fibrous bits. Skim excess fat, then return the sauce to the pot and reduce over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
8. 8 Meanwhile make the gnocchi: boil the potatoes in their skins in well-salted water until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain, peel while still warm, and rice them onto a clean surface (do not use a ricer over the pot, as extra moisture ruins the dough). Spread out and let steam-dry for 2 minutes.
9. 9 Form the dough: sprinkle the flour and salt over the potatoes. Make a well, add the beaten egg, and gently bring together with a bench scraper. Knead very briefly, just until smooth; overworking makes tough gnocchi. The dough should be soft, slightly tacky and not sticky. Adjust flour as needed.
10. 10 Shape the gnocchi: roll portions of dough into 2 cm / ¾ in ropes, cut into 2 cm pillows, and roll each lightly over the tines of a fork or a gnocchi board. Set on a floured tray.
11. 11 Cook the gnocchi: bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop in the gnocchi in batches; they are ready 1 to 2 minutes after they float to the surface. Lift out with a slotted spoon and toss with a little butter or a splash of the pašticada sauce to keep them from sticking.
12. 12 Slice the rested beef across the grain into thick slices. Spoon the glossy prune and root-vegetable sauce over the gnocchi on warmed plates and lay the beef alongside or on top. Serve with a small glass of prošek at room temperature.