This is what the Slow Food movement would give a ‘thumbs up’ to. Slow cooking in Campania originated in the convent kitchens where the main meal of the day would have been prepared early in the day & the ingredients allowed to cook very slowly until mealtime.

Spezzatino con i piselli-Beef stew with peas & rosemary

Serves 4

Ingredients

1oz/28g Butter

2 Tablespoons of Fattoria Terranova Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Onion chopped

2 ¼ lb/1kg Stewing Beef cut into cubes

2 ¼ lb/1kg Freshly shelled or frozen peas

1pt/568ml Beef stock

3 ½ oz/100g Passata

3 Teaspoons of fresh rosemary and flat leaf parsley, chopped

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

To Prepare

Melt the butter & oil in a large deep pan over a medium heat & sweat the onions for a few minutes just before they start to caramelize. Add the beef & cook for 15 minutes until the meat is brown all over.

Add the peas & continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.

Pour in the passata & stock, sprinkle the rosemary & parsley, & season with salt & black pepper.

Simmer very gently over a low heat with the pan uncovered for about an hour or until the sauce has reduced & the meat is tender.

Serve hot with potatoes & a glass of piedirosso wine.

Buon appetito!