Corsican Beef and Pasta

Total time: 3 hours 15 minutes prep time
     This is one of those long-cooking dishes that I love doing during the winter.  It's not quite a stew and not quite a pasta.  If possible, get 1 or 2 thick slices of dry-cured ham, like Prosciutto, from the meat counter.

 Ingredients:

• 24oz (720gr) beef, suitable for braising or stewing  
• 6oz (180gr) dry-cured ham, such as Prosciutto, Serrano
• 1 medium onion
• 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 3/4 cups (15oz, 450gr) whole tomatoes, with juices
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp dried Herbes de Provence
• 2 pinches nutmeg
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 4oz (120gr) pasta, spaghetti or linguini

 Instructions:

• Cut beef into cubes 1 - 1 1/2" (3cm), and ham a bit smaller. 
• Roughly chop onions. 
• Trim and chop mushrooms. 
• Mince garlic. 
• Heat oil in Dutch oven or small soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions, mushroom and garlic and sauté until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. 
• Add ham, beef and sauté, stirring, until all pieces are starting to brown. 
• Roughly chop tomatoes and add to pot, along with the juices. 
• Add wine, herbs, nutmeg and bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat to a slow simmer (small bubbles just breaking the surface), cover and let cook for 2 - 3 hours.
• To finish: 
• Cook pasta according to package directions, just until al dente. 
• Drain and immediately return to pan to low heat.  Add 1 cup of the sauce from the beef (but no meat) and stir to combine and heat through. 
• Arrange the pasta on a small platter or two plates. 
• Remove bay leaves. 
• Spoon some beef and ham on top or the pasta and serve.