First of all, wash the beef thoroughly after you cut in small pieces, the size of your personal preference.
Then place it in a pot with as much water as is needed to just cover it and let it boil over strong heat with the lid off until it foams.
Then wash the meat once more, thoroughly and squeeze it to strain and discard the liquids so that it doesn't let them out while browning. Wash the pot before you use it again, even though most people will just skim off the foam of the meat.
Pour the olive oil in the pot and once it heats add the beef to brown. In this way you don't allow the juices of the beef to come out and the beef is more tender.
Once you have browned the meat, add the finely chopped onion and once it is golden, stir in the wine.
When the alcohol of the wine has evaporated, add the tomato which you have already grated as well as the sugar and mix. Add the allspice and the bay leaves.
Add as much water as is needed to just cover the meat and after it boils for a couple of minutes, turn down the heat.
After about slightly over an hour and provided that you can pierce it with a fork, add the tomato purée, the salt, the pepper, the basil, the thyme, the rosemary and the oregano. Mix well and add a little water if necessary.
All in all the dish takes about 2 hours. If the sauce has not thickened, turn up the heat a little half-covered with the lid, always taking care that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
