andrejthechef
CroatiaStewDinner

Pašticada s Njokima

Beef marinated for a day in wine and vinegar, then braised for hours with prunes and vegetables into a rich, sweet-savory sauce. Served over potato gnocchi.

prep
40 min
cook
3 h
total
3 h 40 min
serves
6
level
hard
Pašticada s Njokima, a dish from Dalmatia

Pašticada is Dalmatia's answer to a Sunday roast: beef marinated for a full day in wine and vinegar, then braised for hours with prunes until the sauce turns dark, sweet and deeply savory.

It is traditionally the dish for weddings and big family occasions, and like most good braises, it only gets better sitting overnight before it meets the gnocchi.

Part of our 20 best Croatian recipes list.

method

  1. Combine the vinegar, wine, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay, cloves and peppercorns in a large bowl. Add the beef, cover, and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, turning once.

  2. Remove the beef and pat it dry, reserving the marinade and vegetables separately. Dust the beef lightly with flour.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot and brown the beef all over. Add the pancetta and cook until rendered.

  4. Add the reserved vegetables from the marinade and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste.

  5. Pour in the reserved marinade liquid and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.

  6. Add the prunes in the last 45 minutes of cooking.

  7. Remove the beef to rest. Blend or pass the sauce through a sieve for a smooth gravy, and season, adding the sugar if it needs balancing.

  8. Slice the beef, return it to the sauce, and warm through. Serve over the gnocchi with the sauce spooned over.

chef's tips

  • Pašticada is a Dalmatian Sunday and celebration dish, often made for weddings and holidays, and like most good braises, it is even better the day after it is made.
  • The 24-hour marinade is not optional. It is what tenderizes the beef and gives the sauce its depth and color.
  • A small glass of prošek, a Dalmatian dessert wine, stirred in near the end is a traditional touch if you can find a bottle.
  • Pass the sauce through a sieve or blend it briefly for the classic silky texture, rather than leaving it chunky.