Heat a large heavy based pot over medium/high heat and add the olive oil. Season the beef cheeks with salt and pepper and add to the pot, browning them on both sides. Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.

Prepare the vegetables by peeling and finely dicing the onion and garlic, and chopping the carrots and the celery. Dice the bacon as well and set aside.

Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pot and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are starting to soften. Add in the bacon and garlic and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes until the bacon is browned.

To the pot, add the tomato paste, oregano and red wine to the pot and using a wooden spoon, mix everything together, scraping the bottom to ensure no brown bits are stuck to the bottom.

Let the wine boil for a minute or two before turning down the heat and adding in the cans of tomatoes and stock.

Mix everything together and add back to the pot the beef cheeks, making sure they are fully submerged in the liquid. Add in the parmesan rind if using and bring to a gentle simmer.

Place the lid on and cook on low for 2-3 hours until the beef cheeks are soft and tender. Remove the beef from the pot and shred with two forks.

Turn the soup up to a light boil and add the risoni and cook until tender, making sure to mix regularly to prevent the pasta from sinking to the bottom and sticking. Add the shredded beef back into the pot and season with salt and pepper. The soup will be quite thick, however you can add a little more water at this stage if you’d like it a bit thinner. Find the parmesan rind and discard.

Serve with fresh toasted bread and chopped parsley.