Italian beef stew with peas (Spezzatino con piselli)

1. Cut the beef shoulder into 3-4 cm cubes, pat dry and dust lightly with flour.

2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and brown the meat in two batches over high heat on all sides; lift out and season with salt and pepper.

3. In the same pan, cook the finely chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 5-6 minutes (this is the soffritto), then stir in the tomato purée and fry for 1 minute.

4. Return the meat, pour in the red wine and let it bubble away; add the chopped tomatoes, stock, bay leaves and rosemary, cover and simmer over low heat for 1.5 hours until the meat is tender.

5. Stir in the peas and cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until the peas are tender and the sauce has thickened; remove the bay leaves and rosemary stalk.

6. Serve hot with soft polenta, mashed potatoes or fresh bread.

Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan when browning: with too much meat it stews in its own juices instead of browning - and the brown crust is what gives the stew its deep flavour.