Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

GreekAuthentic Cuisine

Beef Kokkinisto me Hilopites

Serves 4 to 6 Entree meat

Beef Kokkinisto me Hilopites

Beef Kokkinisto me Hilopites is a beloved dish of the Peloponnese, where culinary traditions are as rich as the landscapes. Rooted in home kitchens, this recipe relies on the abundance of local olive oil, the simplicity of fresh tomatoes, and the comforting aroma of cinnamon. It's a staple for family lunches on leisurely Sundays, where time is spent savoring the food rather than measuring it.

This dish offers a warm embrace of tender beef simmered in a tomato-cinnamon sauce, absorbing the flavors of the sun-bathed Peloponnese. The hilopites pasta, with its delicate eggy texture, soaks up the fragrant sauce beautifully. Serve it piping hot, with a squeeze of lemon if you like, to brighten the robust, comforting flavors.

Ingredients

  • 1 kgbeef — cubed
  • 300 ghilopites egg pasta
  • 400 gtomatoes
  • 1onion
  • 1 stickcinnamon
  • 100 mlolive oil
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Begin by cutting the 1 kg beef into large chunks, about 2-inch pieces. Season generously with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. This initial seasoning will help to enhance the flavor of the beef as it cooks.
  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 100 ml of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the beef chunks in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Brown the beef on all sides until it develops a deep, rich color. This should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the beef and set aside.
  3. Lower the heat to medium and add one finely chopped onion to the pot. Sauté the onion in the remaining oil and beef drippings until it becomes soft and translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. This will take about 5-7 minutes and will help build the base flavor for the sauce.
  4. Add the 400 g of chopped tomatoes and one stick of cinnamon to the pot, stirring well to combine with the onions. Return the browned beef to the pot, nestling it into the tomato mixture. The cinnamon will infuse the dish with a warm, aromatic flavor.
  5. Pour in enough water to just cover the beef, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and let it braise on low heat until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1.5 to 2 hours. The beef should be fork-tender and the sauce should have a rich, deep red color.
  6. While the beef is braising, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the 300 g hilopites egg pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  7. Once the beef is tender, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve the beef and sauce over the cooked hilopites, ensuring each serving has a generous amount of the rich sauce. Optionally, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the dish before serving to brighten the flavors.
Cover of Authentic Greek Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Greek Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Greek Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Greek volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Buy the cookbook on Amazon Explore Greek cuisine