A majestic Dalmatian slow-braised beef roast marinated in wine vinegar, then cooked for hours with dried fruits, root vegetables, and sweet wine until the sauce is thick and velvety. Croatia's most celebrated festive dish.
Ingredients
1.5kg beef top round or eye of round
200ml red wine vinegar
200ml sweet Prošek wine
4 cloves garlic, slivered
2 carrots, diced
2 onions, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
100g pitted prunes
50g dried figs
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
Instructions
1Using a sharp knife, make deep incisions all over the beef and insert garlic slivers into each cut. Place beef in a deep dish.
2Pour wine vinegar over the beef, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning occasionally.
3Remove beef and pat dry. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat, sear beef on all sides until deeply browned.
4Add diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add tomato paste, cloves, nutmeg, and bay leaf.
5Pour in the marinade liquid and Prošek wine. Add prunes and figs. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours until beef is fork-tender.
6Remove beef and slice thickly. Blend the sauce until smooth and rich. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sliced beef napped with sauce alongside gnocchi.
Did You Know?
Every Dalmatian family guards their pašticada recipe as a closely held secret — the exact spice blend and marinating time are passed down through generations and never shared outside the family.