Essentially French, this would typically have been mixed with macaroni and baked with a mixture of parmesan and gruyere cheeses. Let’s lighten up a little and have ours over delicate farfalle - that’s the pasta shaped like bow ties, or butterflies, depending on your imagination. A scattering of torn fresh herbs, parsley, chives and basil, would give it a less autumnal feel. Remember that pasta only requires a relatively small amount of meat sauce so you may have some left over. Like all stews it freezes well and can be even better than the first time around when gently reheated.

Ingredients - serves 4

900g diced stewing beef
4 tbsp olive oil
100g bacon, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
salt, pepper
500g farfalle pasta
20 g diced butter
parmesan shavings

marinade:
500ml red wine
100ml wine vinegar
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, cut into batons
2 cloves garlic, crushed & chopped
strip of orange zest
bundle of herbs - bay/parsley/celery stem/thyme/ oregano - tied together

Method

Leave the beef overnight in the fridge in the marinade ingredients. Remove the meat and pat dry, reserving the marinade.

In a casserole, fry off the bacon pieces with the chopped shallots in the olive oil, when the bacon releases its fat, add the diced beef and brown all over. Strain the marinade through a sieve and ad the vegetables to the casserole and allow them to colour a little too. Now pour in the marinade liquid and add the bouquet garni - the beef should be scantly covered with the liquid, if not add a touch of water. Season with salt and pepper and bring the pot to the boil.

Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook very gently for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. By now the meat should be very tender. Discard the herb bundle.

Cook the farfalle in plenty of boiling salted water, drain and scatter with diced butter and parmesan shavings, toss and divide between warmed pasta bowls. Spoon over some of the beef in red wine and scatter with fresh herbs. Serve.