Veal with hilopites. A classic Greek winter dish.

Some dishes smell like… home. Beef with hilopites is one of them. Warm, hearty, and perfect for the cold winter days, it fills the kitchen with aromas and the table with smiles.

Here’s a tried-and-true, simple recipe with no unnecessary techniques, so you can get it right the first time.

Ingredients (serves 4)

800 g beef for the pot (chuck or shoulder)

500 g hilopites

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 can crushed tomatoes (or 2 ripe fresh tomatoes)

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick (optional, but it goes very well)

Salt & freshly ground pepper

Hot water

Grated kefalotyri or mizithra for serving

Preparation

Cut the beef into medium-sized pieces, not too small, so it doesn’t dry out during cooking. Pat it lightly dry with paper towels – this helps it brown properly.

Step-by-step instructions

Sear the meat
Heat the olive oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat.
Add the beef and sear until nicely browned on all sides.

Add the aromatics
Lower the heat slightly and add the onion and garlic.
Stir until softened and glossy.

Build the sauce
Add the tomato paste and rub it into the bottom of the pot for 1 minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

Simmer
Add enough hot water to just cover the meat.
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 – 1½ hours, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Add the hilopites
When the meat is ready, add more hot water (to make a thick soup) and stir in the hilopites. Stir gently and cook for 8–10 minutes, until they are soft and creamy.

Serving

Serve hot, topped with plenty of grated cheese and a little freshly ground pepper.
It goes wonderfully with fresh bread for mopping up the sauce.