Spezzatino rewards ordinary cuts of beef when the timing is patient and the liquid is managed well. The stew should reduce slowly until the meat is tender and the sauce coats a spoon, not disappear into a thin broth.
The polenta is the second half of the recipe, but it does not need to make the night harder. Start it once the stew is already tender, then use the final simmer to bring both pots to the table together.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Brown the beef in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, without crowding. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and remaining olive oil. Cook 8 minutes, scraping the browned bits.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by about half.
Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add broth and bay leaf, bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly, and cook 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
When the beef is tender, uncover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes more, until the sauce coats a spoon. Keep warm over low heat.
For the polenta, bring 4 cups salted water to a simmer in a saucepan. Whisk in the polenta slowly so it does not clump.
Cook the polenta over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring often, until soft and thick. Add small splashes of hot water if it tightens too much.
Stir butter and grated cheese into the polenta. Spoon it into warm bowls and top with the spezzatino and its sauce.
For make-ahead cooking, chill the stew without the polenta. Reheat gently with a splash of broth, then cook the polenta fresh.
You made Spezzatino con Polenta. Time to eat.
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Chuck, shoulder, or another collagen-rich cut is the right choice. Lean steak cooks faster but dries out before the sauce has time to come together.
Six Italian regions. Nothing reformulated. Imported direct.
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