Braised Beef Shin Ragu with Pappardelle

, from Issue #19. September, 2015
Photography by Damien Van der Vlist.
Braised Beef Shin Ragu with Pappardelle

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 kilogram beef shin, off the bone, in large pieces
seasoned flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 red onions, sliced
100 grams bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
4 anchovies, Dish uses Ortiz
½ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 cups good beef stock

To finish
250 grams dried pappardelle pasta
Parmesan or pecorino for grating

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Dust the beef with flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole and brown the meat on all sides. You may have to do this in batches. Transfer to a plate. Add the onions, bacon, garlic, rosemary and anchovies and cook until the onions are soft. Add the balsamic vinegar and allow to bubble up, scraping the base of the pan to release any sticky bits. Stir in the tomato paste, red wine and beef stock. Add the beef and any juices and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cover with a piece of baking paper, then a tight fitting lid. Cook for 2 hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.

To finish: Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling well salted water. Drain well.

To serve: Take out the chunks of meat and pull apart with a fork. Stir back into the sauce. Divide the pasta between warm serving dishes and top with the ragu. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Pantry Note: Pappardelle is a wide ribbon pasta usually made with eggs and hard durum wheat flour. Available from specialty food stores and good supermarkets.