BEEF SHORT RIB RAGU with GNOCCHI
Ingredients
4 beef short ribs (about 400gm each)
500 ml red wine
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 each carrot and celery stalk, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 litres (8 cups) beef stock
800 gm canned whole tomatoes
4 rosemary sprigs 1 fresh bay leaf
To serve: finely grated pecorino pepato
Method
Place beef ribs in a single layer in a non-reactive container that fits ribs snugly, add wine, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 150oC. Heat oil in a casserole over medium heat, remove ribs from wine (reserve 250ml), pat dry on absorbent paper and cook, turning occasionally, until golden (5-7 minutes). Remove ribs and set aside, reduce heat to low, add vegetables and tomato paste and stir occasionally until tender (12-15 minutes). Add reserved red wine and cook until reduced by half (5-7 minutes), scraping residue as you go, then add half the stock one cup at a time, reducing completely after each addition (10-12 minutes). Add tomato, rosemary, bay leaf, remaining stock and ribs, cover and roast in the oven, turning ribs occasionally, until meat is falling from the bone (4-6 hours). Coarsely shred meat with a fork (discard bones and rosemary stalks), season to taste and serve tossed with gnocchi and scattered with pecorino pepato.
