Stracotto

• 1kg piece of beef chuck , sinew removed
• olive oil
• 2 red onions
• 2 carrots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 bulb of fennel
• ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary, (15g)
• ½ a bunch of fresh sage, (15g)
• 250ml Chianti red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 1.5 litres organic meat or veg stock

1. Place the meat in a fairly snug-fitting casserole pan on a medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, turning with tongs, while you peel the onions, carrots and garlic, trim the celery and fennel, then roughly chop it all to make a soffritto – it cooks low and slow so there’s no need to be too precise.

2. Stir into the pan, tie the rosemary and sage together and add, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until starting to caramelize, stirring the veg and turning the meat occasionally.

3. Turn the heat up to high, pour in the wine, stir in the tomato purée, and let the wine cook away. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then place a double layer of scrunched-up wet greaseproof paper on the surface. Reduce to a low heat and cook for around 3 hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender, turning and basting occasionally. Season to perfection.

4. Lift the meat out on to a board, carve it into thin slices, and spoon over enough of that incredible sauce to keep the meat nice and juicy.

5. Toss the rest of the sauce (reduce on the hob, if needed) with freshly cooked tagliatelle, and finely grate over a little Parmesan, to serve. Double win.

Jamie Cooks Italy by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Random House © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2018 Jamie Cooks Italy). Photography: Matt Russell (2018).