Pasta with “reverse” tomato sauce, beef and spinach

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, red
• 400 g beef goulash
• 1 tsp brandy (e.g. Veterano), optional
• 2 liters of vegetable broth
• 350 g leaf spinach (frozen)
• 400 g pasta (e.g. linguine, bavette – flat spaghetti) or spaghetti
• salt water
• ¾ tube(s) tomato paste
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• Sea salt and pepper, black
• Parmesan or Grana Padano, freshly grated
• Basil, fresh
• 2 thin carrots, sliced
• 150 g celeriac, diced

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 45 minutes

a great recipe with buttery tender beef, spinach and crunchy cherry tomatoes

Dice the onions and sauté in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cut the goulash into small cubes and add to the onions, fry for about 2 minutes (optional: deglaze with brandy). Dice the celeriac and slice the carrots (optional). Add 1.5-2 liters of vegetable stock and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the goulash is almost tender. Add the celeriac and carrots. After 30 minutes, leave the meat in the pot, but remove the celery and carrots with a slotted spoon. Add 2 teaspoons of the stock to the vegetables and puree with a hand blender, set aside. Add the frozen spinach to the stock and let it thaw. Squeeze 3/4 of a tube of tomato paste (or a whole one) into the broth to create a tomato sauce. Thicken it with the carrot and celery puree if desired (for extra flavor). Season with sea salt and pepper. Halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes and add them to the sauce just before serving. Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions, drain well. Serve on a plate, cover with the sauce, grate fresh cheese over the top, and garnish with basil leaves. Tip: Oregano on the edge of the plate looks great!