Serves 12
510 min
Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu Pasta
Recipe GLPRb460ee463af263
A rich and deeply flavored Italian beef ragu made with tender braised brisket, aromatic vegetables, and tomatoes, simmered low and slow until the meat falls apart. Tossed with caserecci pasta and finished with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. This comforting dish serves 12 and rewards patience with layers of savory, complex taste.
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Ingredients
1 kg beef brisket, cut into 4 pieces
All-purpose flour, for dusting
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 brown onion, thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup (250 ml) dry red wine
2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 (400 g) can cherry tomatoes
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon caster sugar
400 g caserecci pasta
Sea salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste
½ cup fresh basil leaves
Finely grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions
Pat the beef brisket pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the beef pieces on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply caramelized. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
In the same pot, add the sliced onion and cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the peeled garlic cloves and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Pour the dry red wine into the pot, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and sugar, mixing until well combined. Add the beef stock, water, canned cherry tomatoes with their juice, and bay leaves. Return the browned beef to the pot and stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot partially and reduce heat to low. Cook the ragu slowly for 6-8 hours (or overnight), stirring occasionally. The beef should become very tender and begin to shred apart. If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Remove the bay leaves from the ragu. If the sauce is too thin, increase heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes to reduce and thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Cook the caserecci pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
Divide the drained pasta among serving bowls. Generously ladle the beef ragu over each portion. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to the ragu to achieve the desired consistency.
Tear fresh basil leaves and scatter over each serving. Finish with finely grated parmesan cheese and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.
