Pašticada, Dalmatian braised beef with wine and prunes, homemade gnocchi

Ingredients

• 1.5 to 2 kg of beef, cut into a single piece, taken from the leg (ask your butcher for advice)
• 1 cup of wine vinegar
• 500 g to 1kg of onions
• A few cloves of garlic
• 1 strip of Dalmatian bacon (dried pork fat)
• One handful of plums
• A few carrots
• 1 bunch of parsnips, celery, and parsley
• 3 dl of red wine (or prošek, a sweet Dalmatian wine)
• bay leaf, rosemary, black peppercorns and ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of vegetable seasoning (e.g., Vegeta)
• olive oil
• 1 kg of floury apple
• 200 g of flour
• 1 egg
• salt
• Grated Parmesan cheese

The night before, pierce the meat with small cuts using a sharp knife and insert pieces of garlic, strips of bacon, and carrot sticks.

Place it in a dish, cover with red wine vinegar, and let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight, turning it occasionally.

Drain and dry the meat, then brown it on all sides in the oil in a large saucepan. Set aside.

In the same pot, slowly melt the chopped onions, then add the remaining carrots, root vegetables, remaining garlic, prunes, bay leaf, rosemary, pepper, and seasoning.

Return the meat to the pot, pour in the red wine and some water, cover, and let simmer for 3 to 4 hours over very low heat, turning the meat occasionally and adding more water if needed.

Remove the meat, blend the sauce, and adjust the seasoning. Slice the meat into thick pieces and return them to the sauce.

For the gnocchi, cook the peeled and cored apples, then peel and mash them. Allow to cool, then add the flour, egg, and salt, and knead into a soft dough.

Shape the sausages, cut them into pieces, and cook them in boiling, salted water; remove them as soon as they float to the surface.

Serve the pašticada slices, generously drizzled with sauce, alongside the gnocchi and grated Parmesan cheese.