What you need
500g beef brisket or beef cheeks cut into six pieces, plain flour, t tbspn salt, 2 tbspn smoked paprika, 30ml extra virgin olive oil, 1 brown onion thickly sliced, 1 stick of chopped celery, 2 chopped carrots, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbspn dried oregano, 125ml dry red wine, 250ml beef stock, 250ml water, 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, 2 tbspn tomato paste, 1 tbspn castor sugar, 200g rigatoni pasta, sea salt and cracked black pepper, half cup basil leaves, finely grated parmesan.
Method
1.Preheat oven to 180ºC, Dust beef in flour, salt and paprika, shaking to remove excess. Heat 2 tbspns oil in a heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Cook beef for 2–3 minutes each side or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to low, add remaining oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic and oregano and cook for 6–8 minutes or until softened. Increase heat to high. Add wine and cook, scraping bottom of the pan, for 2–3 minutes or until liquid halves. Add stock, water, tomatoes, bay leaves, tomato paste and sugar. Return beef to pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to the oven and roast for two hours.
3. Remove lid and roast for a further 30 minutes. Remove beef from the pan and shred meat using 2 forks, discarding any fat. Return meat to the sauce and mix to combine.
4. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10–12 minutes or until al dente. Drain, return to pan with the beef sauce, salt, pepper and toss to combine. Top with basil and sprinkle with parmesan to serve. Serves 4–6.
