Fresh basil leavesChopped, used in the braise and as garnish~½ cupest.
White wine (or red wine)Used to deglaze the pot~1 cupest.
Stock2 cups
Bay leaf
~1est.
Salt and black pepperto taste
Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)Grated, mixed in and used as garnish at the end~1 cupest.
Cooking oil or clarified butterUsed to caramelize the onions~2 tbspest.
Pasta (penne, ziti, or your choice)Pre-cooked and reserved~1 lbest.
Pasta waterA splash added when finishing the pasta~½ cupest.
Steps
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1
Render the fat from the bacon or pancetta in a pot, then sear large chunks of beef until deeply browned (Maillard reaction), and set aside.
2
Slice the onions into pieces about 3mm thick — using roughly twice the weight of the beef.
3
In a separate hot pan with oil or clarified butter, caramelize the sliced onions until nicely colored, then set them aside to be added on top at the end.
4
Grate the carrots and celery finely, then sauté them briefly in the same pot with the reserved bacon fat to make a quick sofrito.
5
Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly to develop flavor, then add the chopped garlic.
6
Pour in the white wine (or red wine) to deglaze the pot, scraping up the browned bits, and let the alcohol cook off.
7
Return the seared beef to the pot and season lightly with salt and pepper, keeping in mind the cheese added later will bring saltiness.
8
Spread the caramelized onions on top, add a bay leaf, cover the pot, and let it simmer on very low heat without opening or stirring for the first 30 to 45 minutes.
9
Continue simmering, checking occasionally to prevent sticking, for about 2.5 to 3.5 hours total until the beef is fork-tender and falls apart; alternatively, braise in an oven preheated to about 350°F, checking hourly.
10
During cooking, add about 2 cups of stock to supplement the moisture released from the onions, keeping the pot covered the whole time to prevent evaporation.
11
A few minutes before finishing, stir in chopped fresh basil.
12
Reheat the pre-cooked pasta briefly in hot water, then drain.
13
With the heat off, toss the pasta with the beef ragu, mix in grated Pecorino Romano and a splash of pasta water until glossy and well combined (avoid adding the cheese while boiling to prevent it from clumping or separating).
14
Plate the pasta, top with extra cheese and fresh basil, and serve.
PrimedTableBETA
