BEEF RAGOUT WITH MATSATA PASTA AND KALATHAKI OF LIMNOS CHEESE

• 1 pack of matsata pasta
• 100 g of Lemnos basil cheese
• 1200 g beef (for stew)
• 2 tbsps. flour
• 2 medium onions
• 1 big carrot
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4-5 shallots
• 200 ml. red wine
• 350 ml. hot beef stock
• 250 gr. concassed tomatoes
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• Parsley
• Fresh pepper
• Olive oil

Wash and dry the meat well using absorbent paper.

Cut into smaller pieces, sprinkle with flour and sauté in a deep saucepan with olive oil until golden brown. Do not sauté them all together to maintain the high pot temperature. Do it partially and keep the meat warm in another utensil.

At the same time, clean and chop onions, carrot and garlic. Sauté them into the pot that you roasted the meat.

Pour in the red wine, keeping a high temperature, and with a wooden spoon "scrape" the saucepan to get all the "deliciousness" from the meat.

Then transfer the meat back to the saucepan with the sauce, add tomatoes, herbs, sugar and pepper.

Lower the fire, add the broth and let simmer for about 3 hours without forgetting to control the fluids after 2.5 hours.

The sauce must be rich and thick, so remove from the heat, when the liquids are still sufficient. Of course, keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools down.

When the beef is ready, add a little chopped parsley and prepare the pasta.

In a pot with plenty of boiling water, add a little salt and then, the pasta. When they are ready, drain them and transfer them back to the pot. Add about half of the sauce and a little chopped parsley, mix well and serve.

In the serving, add more sauce to each dish and crumbled cheese.