{Pasta} Beef Ragout Recipe

This ragout is best made at least a day before serving and served with a thick pasta such as pappardelle. This recipe is adapted from one originally found in Sunday Life magazine many years ago!

Beef Ragout
500g beef shoulder or similar cut
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 sticks celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 bay leaf

Red wine sauce
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 stick celery, finely diced
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
400g can diced tomatoes
1 cup beef stock

To serve
pappardelle or other pasta of your choice
flat leaf parsley
parmesan

Place beef, garlic, celery, carrot and bay leaf in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover saucepan with a lid. Check pan every 10 minutes or so and add more water if required (the meat needs to be submerged in liquid). Cook for 1-2 hours or until meat is meltingly tender. Remove from heat and allow meat to cool in cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, for the red wine sauce, place olive oil in saucepan over a gentle heat. Cook garlic, onion and celery for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add red wine and, once it has evaporated, stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and stock and cook for 15 minutes to develop rich flavours and achieve a thicker consistency. Once the meat has cooled, tear into shreds. Add shredded beef and vegetables from broth to the red wine sauce (I use a slotted spoon for this task). Adjust seasoning as necessary.

Toss the ragout with pasta and finish with finely chopped flat leaf parsley and parmesan.