Food for the (Gluten Intolerant) Soul

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Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta

INGREDIENTS

RAGU

  • 1.2kg flank steak, cut into equal 3-4 pieces
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil , separated
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 onion , diced
  • 1 cup carrots , diced (Note 2)
  • 1 cup celery , diced (Note 2)
  • 400g crushed canned tomatoes
  • 400g tinned cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 250ml red wine , full bodied (like merlot, cabernet sauvignon), or sub with beef broth/stock
  • 375 ml beef stock
  • 3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 dried bay leaves

TO SERVE (NOT ALL SAUCE IS USED)

  • 1 lb / 500g dried pappardelle, or other pasta of choice (Note 4)
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese or Partigiano Reggiano
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  • Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  • Sear Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 – 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
  • Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
  • Sofrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
  • Turn heat up to high, add wine, stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Then transfer it all to the slow cooker and add all remaining ingredients.
  • Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.
  • Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened – beef will soften slightly more during this step.
  • Final season: Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it’s even better the next day and freezes well for months!).

TO SERVE

  • Bring a very large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil.
  • Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time as per the packet instructions.
  • Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, dutch oven or use 2 normal size fry pans. Heat over high heat while the pasta is cooking.
  • When the pasta is ready, transfer it directly from the pot into the fry pan using tongs.
  • Add 3/4 cup of pasta water into the fry pan.
  • Gently toss the pasta (I use 2 wooden spoons) for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce water evaporates and leaves you with a thick Ragu sauce that coats the pasta.
  • Yell for your family to sit down at the dinner table because you need to serve it immediately!
  • Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, or even better, with parmigiano reggiano.

NOTES Start the pasta only after source and meat are ready. serve mixed as per the recipe.

Family Recipes
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