Ingredients

• 600g x Diced chuck steak - cut into 4cm pieces - see note

• Olive oil

• Plain flour

• 1 x Large brown onions, diced

• 4 x Garlic cloves - diced

• 2 x Medium carrots - diced

• 2 x Celery sticks - diced

• 3 x Tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 x Cups rich home made chicken or beef stock. Quality essential

• 1 x Cup red wine

• 1 x Teaspoon dried thyme leaves.

• 2 x Teaspoons Mediterranean dried oregano leaves

• 1 x Pinch chilli flakes - or more if you choose

• 1 x Tin Italian diced tomatoes

• 400 - 500g Rigatoni pasta. Depending on required servings

• 1/2 x Cup diced parsley

• Salt: Add salt to your preference or special diet when adding the spices

• To order very best Spices go to SPICES

Preparation

Pat the chicken dry then lightly dust the beef on all sides with the flour. then in a hot pan with a little olive oil brown the meat on all sides and set aside.

In the same pan fry down the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until soft and caramelised, then add the tomato paste to the base of the pan to reduce bitterness, about 3 minutes, Next deglaze the pan with the red wine then add the spices, salt and pepper, chilli flakes, chicken stock and stir well. You will now have a rich flavour base.

Now return the meat to the pot, add the tomatoes and stir to evenly cover the meat with the sauce. Use foil to seal the pot before adding the lid.

Place in a pre heated oven at 180c for two and half - three hours, until meat is starting to fall apart. (After one hour add a little water if sauce is drying out).

Next add the parsley, stir and lightly shred the meat using two forks to pull apart. You will now have a wonderfully rich sauce with the texture from the shredded beef.

Cook the Rigatoni in unsalted or salted boiling water, as you prefer - allow 12 minutes and when cooked serve directly from the pot with the pasta water to the shredded beef and sauce. The water clinging to the cooked pasta will add extra flavours to the dish.

Now, mix everything together so the pasta is evenly coated with the meat sauce and when ready to serve sprinkle a little more freshly grated parmesan

Important: Important. Do not drain the pasta - simply serve the cooked pasta directly from the pasta pot directly on to the beef and sauce, bringing with it a little of the hot pasta water for additional flavour.