Pašticada s Njokima (Dalmatian Beef Pot Roast with Gnocchi)
Local name: Pašticada s njokima
In short: Beef studded with garlic and cured ham, marinated in vinegar and braised for hours with wine and prunes, then sliced over potato gnocchi. It takes about 4 h 25 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h 10 min
- Cook
- 3 h 15 min
- Resting
- 12 h
- Total
- 4 h 25 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 660 kcal
Pašticada is the dish Dalmatians cook for weddings, Easter and big family lunches. A roast of beef is studded with cured ham, garlic and cloves, marinated overnight in vinegar, then braised slowly with red wine, dried prunes and spices until it turns tender and dark. The sweet and sour sauce is spooned over homemade potato gnocchi, and everything tastes better made a day ahead.
Instructions
- Make deep slits all over the beef with a thin, sharp knife and push a strip of pršut, a sliver of garlic or a clove into each, until all are used.
- Put the beef in a dish just big enough to hold it. Pour over the vinegar, add the bay leaf, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight, turning once.
- Drain the beef and pat it dry. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes. Lift it out.
- Cook the onions, carrots and celery in the same pot over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the beef. Add the wine, prošek, prunes, bay leaves, nutmeg, stock, salt and pepper. The liquid should come about two thirds of the way up the meat.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the beef every 45 minutes, until it is fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in their skins for 30 to 35 minutes. Peel while hot, rice them and mix with the flour, egg and salt into a soft dough. Roll into ropes and cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) pieces.
- Lift out the beef and rest it under foil. Purée the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Boil the gnocchi in batches in salted water until they float, about 2 minutes. Drain and toss with a few spoonfuls of sauce. Slice the beef 1 cm (1/2 in) thick and serve over the gnocchi with the sauce.
Tips
- Prošek, the sweet Dalmatian dessert wine, is traditional. If you cannot find it, use ruby port or add a spoonful of brown sugar to the red wine.
- Make the pašticada a day ahead. Chill it in its sauce and reheat gently. The sauce tastes deeper, and the cold beef slices much more neatly.
Questions and answers
Can I make pašticada without marinating overnight?
Yes, but the vinegar tenderizes the meat and gives the sauce its signature sharpness. If you are short on time, marinate for at least 4 hours.
Can I freeze pašticada?
Yes. Freeze the sliced beef in its sauce for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the fridge. Gnocchi are best made fresh.
What can I serve with pašticada instead of gnocchi?
In Dalmatia, homemade gnocchi are the standard. Wide egg noodles, fresh tagliatelle or mashed potatoes also work well under the rich sauce.
How long does it take to make Pašticada s Njokima (Dalmatian Beef Pot Roast with Gnocchi)?
About 4 h 25 min in total: 1 h 10 min of preparation and 3 h 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pašticada s Njokima (Dalmatian Beef Pot Roast with Gnocchi)?
About 660 kcal per serving, with 57 g of protein, 59 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 660 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 57 g |
| Carbohydrates | 59 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 1450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
