Beef cheeks in red wine with mashed potatoes

Over medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter (or lard) in a lidded pot with the thyme and oregano.

Add the beef cheeks, spooning hot butter over them; after about five minutes turn them, remove the herbs, and brown every side.

Take the meat out gently.

Lower to medium-low, add the wine a little at a time because of the steam, then the rest, and deglaze the bottom; the alcohol evaporates.

Crush the garlic by hand and add it; cut the onion, carrots and celery into four (or break the carrots by hand) and add; add about six bay leaves and stir.

Return the meat, add 1.5 cups vegetable stock, cover and cook 30 minutes without seasoning.

Take the meat out, stir in the passata, return the meat turned over, cover and slow cook at least three and a half hours, four to six even better, turning every half hour to hour.

Peel 1 kg potatoes, put in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil on high heat.

Boil until a toothpick or fork goes in and out easily and the potato breaks, neither mushy nor al dente; check with a fork, there is no set time.

Drain the potatoes in a strainer and pass them through a potato masher.

Mix in 50 g of the butter until melted, salt lightly, add the pecorino, then a splash of hot milk.

Add the rest of the butter and more milk, up to the whole cup, mixing until creamy and silky, not runny and not thick.

After almost five hours, lift the meat onto a plate to rest and take out the vegetables to serve.

Over medium-low heat, add at least half a standard glass of wine, deglaze and reduce until very thick.

Pass the juices through a little sifter to remove the bay leaves, return to the pan and thicken a little more over medium-low heat.

Plate a nest of mashed potatoes, set the meat in the middle with the vegetables on the side, and spoon the sauce over the meat.