Beef Stew with Pumpkin and Chestnuts

Method

1. Prepare the broth: in a pot, sauté chopped celery (4 ribs), carrot (2), and onion (1) with a piece of rosemary and sage in olive oil and 50 g of butter. Add cold water and bring to a simmer to make an aromatic broth.
2. Trim and cut 1.5 kg of beef muscle (muscolo di manzo) into large chunks. Brown the meat in batches in the same pot with butter and olive oil until a deep crust forms.
3. Deglaze the pot with a glass of white wine (optional) and scrape up the fond. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery back to the pot and stir for a minute.
4. Return the meat to the pot. Season with pepper. Add some of the prepared broth so it covers about halfway. Cover with lid slightly ajar and let simmer.
5. Meanwhile, peel and cut 300 g of Mantuan pumpkin (zucca mantovana) into large chunks. Have ready 400 g of precooked shelled chestnuts.
6. After the meat has cooked for a while (about 30 minutes), add the pumpkin chunks and chestnuts. Continue cooking until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens.
7. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with a fresh sage leaf if desired.