Ingredients

• 2kg of beef cheeks
• 80ml olive oil
• 100g wholemeal flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 4 eschalot, peeled, halved and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1tbs sugar
• 2tbs tomato paste
• 2 tins of tomatoes
• 1 red chilli, very finely chopped
• 500ml beef stock
• 250ml dry red wine
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 bay leaf
• ¼ bunch of thyme
• 300g pappardelle pasta
• basil and parmigiano to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, bring the cheeks to room temperature and remove the fat and nerves, lightly dust with seasoned flour and brown in a casserole dish. Remove from the pan, and adding a little more oil if necessary sauté the eschalots, garlic, carrot and celery until softened.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook out for 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the red wine, scrubbing the bottom with a wooden spoon. Cook for 3 minutes until the alcohol has been cooked out and add the stock, tomatoes, herbs, red chilli, sugar and the beef cheeks.
3. Bring up to the boil then pop on a lid and place in the oven to cook for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender with a fork. If you would like to thicken the sauce, reduce on the stove top with the lid off until your desired consistency is achieved.
4. Cook pappardelle according to the packets instructions and serve with torn basil leaves and parmigiano.