Le Stufatu is a hearty dish from Corsica.
I call this a homemade meat sauce, but in fact, it is more than a sauce. The sauce can be a meal in itself, as it is a good old-fashioned meaty sauce cooked with red wine.
And this basic homemade tomato sauce or this homemade tomato purée is a good basis to start with if you like.
❤️ About Homemade Meat Sauce And Why We Love It
This is a Corsican meat sauce recipe or should I say Le Stufatu, and it is a hearty dish from Corsica.
Corsica is a beautiful island and is a region of France just off the south coast, and is well worth a visit if you ever get the chance to travel there.
Most of the traditional recipes have been handed down through the generations, and they would have used all local produce for everything that they ate. It is much the same today.
💁🏻♀️ How To Serve This Dish
So if you are wise, you can plan for two meals here, which is what we do with this combination.
It has lots of good meat in it, so it is really much more than a meat sauce recipe.
You can serve it with a pasta dish, which is the traditional way, using spinach like this Spinach Ravioli Dish and a local cheese from Corsica, or you can do your own thing and perhaps serve it with garlic potatoes and your favorite vegetables. Either way, it is simply fantastic.
You now have a wonderful sauce, although it is more than a sauce; the meat will make a hearty dish in itself. This sauce can be made with most meats, but beef has been used for this recipe.
If you want to be more traditional and make a complete Corsican dish, then a pasta dish would be the best choice. A dish of Les Ravioli au Brocciu is a good choice, and you can see for yourself as I have made it with all the step-by-step instructions for you to try it.
More Handy Sauces
📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
Best Homemade Meat Sauce
Equipment
- heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground meat such as shin of beef
- 2 onions or 4 shallots finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon tomato puree ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Brown the meat in the hot olive oil and remove from pan.
- Brown the onions and garlic making sure they do not brown too much.
- Add the wine with the tomato puree to the pan.
- Mix well then add the meat back to the pan.
- Add about two glasses of warm water, the bay leaf and finally, the seasoning.
- Simmer for about 2-3 hours until the meat is tender. You may need a little more water if the sauce has reduced too much.
Notes
- Use either the smaller amount of my easy tomato puree recipe or more best tomato sauce recipe to the consistency you like.
- Watch the meat sauce while simmering for a few hours to stir and ensure it does not burn. During this cooking time the flavor will deepen.
- Towards the end of cooking, taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed, and a little sugar if it is too tart.
Loved it, tweaked it, or not your "cup of tea"... I’d really love to hear how it went for you.