Clean the meat under cold water and drain it with absorbent paper. In a large frying pan, warm up the oil and fry the meat until it has a golden color outside but is not cooked inside. Transfer the meat to a large saucepan and leave half the oil in the frying pan (you don’t need the rest of the oil). Add the onions to the hot oil and fry them until they brown. Transfer them to the saucepan where the meat is. Stir the meat with the onions and add the wine, cloves, chili powder, salt and pepper. Boil until the wine has been absorbed. Add the tomato paste and turn the meat to seal it somehow in the paste, and boil it with the paste for a few seconds (that helps the meat to soften and preserve the color). Add the tomato cubes and cinnamon sticks. Add warm water to cover the meat. Leave it to simmer for about 1¼ hours or until the meat is really tender and the sauce has absorbed the liquids and is thickened. Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Fill up a long bottom pan with water. Add a tablespoon of salt and half tablespoon of olive oil (the oil prevents the pasta sticking). Bring the water to boil. Add the pasta cut in half. When it is cooked (al dente) add one glass of cold water to the pan. Drain the pasta. Remove the meat from the saucepan, leaving the sauce. Add the pasta to the sauce. Serve it with some meat on top of the pasta on each plate. Garnish it with a spoonful of grated cheese.

Along with pastitsada you easily serve and enjoy Alfa’s Kichi pie with Feta and Spinach. Just preheat the oven in 190° degrees, remove the lid and place it in the oven for 40 minutes. You don’t have to remove the pan under the pie, with that way you can bake it without using any extra pans.