🍝 Short rib ragù with pappardelle
Ingredients
- 450 g grape tomatoes
- 2.5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 680 g bone-in beef short ribs
- 450 g beef chuck, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
- 1 large onion, very finely minced
- 3 to 4 carrots, finely minced
- 4 celery ribs, finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp harissa paste (optional)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, plus more to finish
- 470 ml dry red wine
- 590 ml beef stock
- 15 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves
- 500 g to 1 kg pappardelle or fettuccine
- 120 g Pecorino Romano, grated
- 1.5 cups basil leaves
- Salt, pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 175 °C. Spread the tomatoes on a tray and broil 3 to 5 min, until the skins peel back and lightly blacken. Rub them in paper towel to remove the skins, then blend roughly.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Season the meat, then sear in batches 2 to 3 min a side until evenly browned all over. Set aside.
- Lower to medium heat and sweat the onion, carrot, celery and garlic with a pinch of salt. After 2 min, add the tomato paste and harissa and caramelise 1 to 2 min. Add the charred tomatoes.
- Raise the heat, pour in the wine, stock and balsamic vinegar. Once boiling, drop the heat and nestle the meat back in, bone side down: the liquid should come three-quarters of the way up.
- Tie the thyme and bay together and add them. Cover and braise 3 to 3.5 h, until the meat is fork tender.
- Lift out the meat, remove the bones and gelatinous membrane, discard the herbs. Shred the meat as finely as possible, then fold it back into the sauce. Loosen with stock if dry, and season.
- Cook the pasta al dente in well-salted water. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain.
- Toss the pasta with half the ragù, adding pasta water a spoonful at a time to emulsify. Stir in the Pecorino and basil.
- Plate, then finish with more Pecorino, cracked pepper and a drizzle of balsamic.
Adapted from Joshua Weissman (YouTube)
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