low & slow. [short rib ragu w. ricotta]

July 15th, 2021 by | comments

I know this isn’t the most ‘summer’ dish, but I would gladly eat it year-round. I mean, what’s not to love – fork-tender, 4-hour braised short rib, creamy ricotta drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper…need I continue? This pasta dish is definitely hearty, but serve it alongside some salad and it balances out, right?!


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short rib ragu w. ricotta
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • Ragu recipe:
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 - 1.5 lbs. good quality beef short ribs (I used United Harvest boneless short ribs)
  • 1½ cups yellow onion, very finely diced
  • 1 cup celery, very finely diced
  • ¾ cup carrots, peeled and very finely diced
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 cups Mutti tomato puree
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Pasta recipe:
  • 1 lb. mezzi rigatoni, with 2 cups pasta water reserved
  • Whole milk ricotta cheese, for garnish, drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky sea slat and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour to season.
  2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat, then add 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil. Once hot, sear the short ribs on all sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. (You don't want to overcrowd the pan, so you might have to sear in batches to prevent the meat from steaming vs. searing.)
  3. Remove seared short ribs from the Dutch oven and set aside on a plate.
  4. Add diced onion, celery and carrot to the pot and cook until softened and onions are translucent, around 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Add the red wine and cook 3-4 minutes to allow the alcohol to vaporize.
  6. Next, add the tomato puree and the tomato paste and stir everything together. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Return the seared short ribs with any liquid that has accumulated on the plate to the Dutch oven. Add the bay leaf, then mix everything together to ensure the short ribs are covered in the sauce.
  8. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 4 hours, or until short ribs are fork-tender and ragu is thick, flavorful and most of the liquid has evaporated.
  9. Cook the mezzi rigatoni according to package directions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water then drain the pasta.
  10. Once the short ribs are tender, remove from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, then return to the Dutch oven.
  11. Mix the shredded short ribs with the sauce and add ½ cup pasta water at a time to reach desired consistency. Remove the bay leaf, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  12. Transfer the drained pasta to the sauce, stirring to coat. Thin out to your desired consistency with the remaining reserved pasta water.
  13. Serve pasta hot and garnish with basil chiffonade and a spoonful of ricotta topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

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