pappardelle with beef ragúChef Paolo Vasapolli shares his recipe for pappardelle with beef ragú.

Slow-cooked dish delivers on flavour promise

Topping broad egg noodles with a long-simmered beef sauce yields a satisfying meal that is not at all complicated, says Paolo Vasapolli, executive chef in Food and Catering Services.

“This wonderful recipe is very hearty with lots of flavour,” he says. “Serve it for your family or for guests. You’ll be glad you tried it.”

Vasapolli recommends using De Cecco brand dried pasta for this dish.

Chianti-stained Pappardelle with Beef Ragú

Ingredients

  • 800 g of boneless beef chuck roast, cut into large cubes
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary, plus 1 tablespoon of finely chopped leaves for garnish
  • 2 sprigs of sage
  • 1 white onion, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled sliced thick
  • 1 celery stalk, sliced thick
  • 2 - 400g cans peeled whole cherry or plum tomatoes
  • 500g of pappardelle egg pasta
  • 3 tbsp of butter
  • ½ cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 cups of Chianti wine

Instructions

  1. Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Add oil to a Dutch oven or roasting pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the beef and stir until beef is well browned in all sides, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add rosemary and sage sprigs, onion, garlic, carrot, and celery.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add wine and continue to simmer until liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
  6. Add tomatoes and juice and some beef stock. Bring pot to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
  7. Cover and place in a preheated oven at 275°F or keep on the stove over low heat for about 3 ½ hours.
  8. Bring a pot of salted water to boil over high heat, add the pappardelle and cook to taste or as per package instructions.
  9. As it cooks, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside.
  10. Meanwhile, discard herb stems and using two forks finely shred meat and vegetables.
  11. Drain the pasta. Return to the pot and add butter and ¼ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano and mix gently until butter as melted. Add a little reserved cooking water to loosen.
  12. To serve, ladle pasta into each bowl and spoon the beef ragú over top and serve.

As a variant, make a reduction of half balsamic vinegar and half Chianti, cooked down until it coats the back of a spoon. Finish each bowl with a spoonful of cheese and drizzle with the balsamic-wine reduction.

Find more recipes — as well as a place to submit your own — on the Healthy Eating website.