Pan-fried Steaks with Italian Sauce

Method
Prep:10min  ›  Cook:20min  ›  Ready in:30min 

1. Season and cook the steaks: Rub the steaks on both sides with 1 tbsp olive oil and a little black pepper. Heat a large frying pan, then cook the steaks, in two batches if necessary, for about 2½ minutes on each side for rare, 4 minutes each side for medium, and 7 minutes each side for well done. Remove to a plate using a draining spoon and keep warm.
2. Make the sauce: Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the onion and garlic, and cook gently for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the tomatoes and wine. Cook gently for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break down the tomatoes, to make a sauce.
3. Cook the pasta: While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water for 8 minutes, or according to the pack instructions, until tender with a bite at the centre. Drain. Stir the capers into the sauce with the olives and basil, and season to taste.
4. Add the steaks: Return the steaks to the frying pan to heat through, spooning the sauce over the meat. Divide the pasta among four plates and add some basil leaves if you like. Serve the steak and sauce over the top.

Swaps

*For chopped tomatoes, use 400ml chunky passata. *For a vegetarian version, serve with grilled slices of halloumi cheese instead of the steak. Serve 2 slices per person, and brush with oil before cooking under a hot grill or in a ridged griddle until golden.

Addition

After frying the onion and garlic, add 200g sliced mushrooms to the sauce. Omit the capers and olives, if you like.

…cooking tips

*You can give meat an exotic flavour by using a dry rub before grilling or pan-frying. Mix the ingredients together and rub over the steaks up to 30 minutes before cooking. Try these mixtures: *For an Asian flavouring, combine 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes and 1 crushed garlic clove. *For a Cajun flavouring, combine 1 tsp paprika, 2 tsp cracked black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, 1 crushed garlic clove, the grated zest of 1 lemon, 2 tsp dried sage and a pinch of cayenne.

…keep it

The sauce also tastes great with grilled meats such as pork steaks and chops or lamb chops and cutlets, and also goes very well with fish, so it's worth making a double batch and freezing half. Cool quickly after cooking, pack into a freezer container and freeze for up to one month. To use, thaw, reheat and simmer for 3 minutes.