Beef pizzaiola with tomato and oregano (Carne alla pizzaiola)

1. Cut the beef into 8 thin slices of about 5 mm (or ask your butcher), flatten slightly with a meat mallet and nick the edges so they don't curl up when cooking.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sear the slices over high heat for 1 minute per side, just enough to brown them; remove and set aside.

3. In the same pan, fry the thinly sliced garlic for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes squashed by hand, the oregano, salt and pepper.

4. Simmer the sauce for 10-12 minutes until it thickens and loses its raw taste.

5. Return the meat and its juices to the sauce, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes so the meat takes on the tomato flavour without toughening.

6. Scatter with torn basil and serve with plenty of crusty bread - the sauce recalls the taste of Neapolitan pizza, hence the name.

Tip: Thin slices toughen quickly: keep the first searing very brief and let the meat finish cooking in the sauce.