Slow beef ragu with pappardelle

Preparation

30 min

Cooking

3–3½ hr

Chilling / resting

Optional overnight

At service

15 min

Working estimates for the original recipe. Chilling and make-ahead time are separate; larger batches need extra planning.

Ingredients

• 1200 g beef chuck, cut into small pieces
• 150 g pancetta
• 2 whole onions
• 2 whole carrots
• 2 sticks celery
• 4 clove garlic
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 375 ml dry red wine
• 800 g chopped tomatoes
• 500 ml beef stock
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 600 g dried pappardelle
• 100 g Parmesan
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Brown the beef well in batches in a wide heavy pan. Give it colour rather than stirring constantly, then lift it out.
2. Cook the pancetta, onion, carrot and celery gently until soft. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Return the beef, pour in the wine and reduce noticeably. Add the tomatoes, stock, bay and rosemary.
4. Simmer very gently for 2½–3 hours, partially covered, until rich and thick. Cool and refrigerate overnight if you can.
5. Reheat slowly. Cook the pappardelle just before serving, reserving some pasta water. Toss the pasta through the ragu, loosen if needed, and finish with Parmesan.