No Football,
No Worries…
Short Ribs It Is!
By Chef Thom
It’s a rainy weekend, the Super Bowl has come and gone, and now it’s time to start cooking my favorite pasta dish. Pasta sauce, Short Ribs, and Pappardelle Pasta. As the tantalizing aroma of slow-cooked meat and rich tomatoes fills the air, there’s a sense of comfort and warmth that only a hearty pasta dish can bring on a day without football. Embracing the art of culinary creation, this recipe promises to elevate your taste buds and transport you to a realm of savory delight.
This trio of culinary delights comes together to create a symphony of flavors and textures on your plate. Picture this: succulent short ribs braised to perfection in a rich, velvety tomato sauce, generously ladled over wide and ribbon-like Pappardelle Pasta. The marriage of tender meat, robust sauce, and broad pasta creates a dish that is both comforting and indulgent. This dish is perfect for a special occasion, a cozy night in, or a rainy Sunday without football!
Crafting a culinary masterpiece with pasta sauce, Pappardelle Pasta, and braised Short Ribs is a labor of love that demands time and patience. Each component of this dish requires careful attention and dedication to achieve perfection. The pasta sauce, simmered to intensify flavors, needs time for the ingredients to meld and create a harmonious blend. The braised Short Ribs cooked low and slow, demand hours of gentle heat to tenderize the meat and infuse it with the rich, savory essence. Lastly, Pappardelle Pasta, with its broad and luxurious texture, benefits from a delicate hand in preparation to ensure it complements the robust flavors of the sauce and meat. While the process may be time-consuming, the end result is a culinary symphony that delights the senses and rewards the palate with every sumptuous bite!
Let’s delve into the art of preparing this exquisite dish, celebrating the harmonious fusion of flavors that make it a standout favorite among pasta lovers and food enthusiasts alike. You will definitely want to start this the night before to get the full flavor of this dish. Like I said, ‘a labor of love’!
ENJOY!
CHEF THOM
1- 6 or 8 quart Sauce Pan (Dutch Oven)
Prep Time: 30-60 minutes
Cook Time: Day 1- 4 hours
Day 2- 6 to 8 Hours
Servings: 6 to 8
SAUCE & SHORT RIBS INGREDIENTS
- 3 to 4 pounds of Beef Short Ribs. (Look for marbling. I prefer bone in, as it adds to the flavoring)
- 4 tbsp of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 3 stalks of Celery, finely diced
- 3 to 4 Carrots, (depending on size) finely diced
- 1 large Onion, diced
- 3 to 4 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs of Sage Leaves tied together
- 3 sprigs of Rosemary tied together
- 6 cloves of minced Garlic
- Kosher Salt and fresh Ground Pepper to season meat
- 1 1/2 cups of Chianti Wine
- 2 28 oz. cans of San Marzano DOP Certified Whole Peeled Tomatoes (DOP stands for the Italian phrase Denominazione d’ Origine Protetta or in English, “protected designation of origin”)
- 1 to 2 cups of water
PAPPARDELLE PASTA INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour, sifted
- 3/4 cup of Semolina Flour sifted
- 3 Jumbo Eggs
- 1 tbsp of dry Marsala Wine
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
SHORT RIBS AND SAUCE COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Liberally season the Short Ribs with Kosher Salt and Pepper on all four sides
- Preheat 2 tbsp Olive Oil in the saucepan on medium/high heat
- When oil is hot add in Short Ribs and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side or until nicely browned. Remove Short Ribs and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tbsp Olive Oil and Diced Onions. Stirring frequently, cook for 40-45 minutes or until caramelized.
- After Onions are caramelized, stir in minced Garlic and the Unsalted Butter. Cook until you smell the aroma of the Garlic. Approximately 2 minutes.
- Add Celery and Carrots and cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently.
- Add Chianti Wine and cook on medium high heat until reduced.
- Put the 2 cans of DOP San Marzano Tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and crush by hand. Take the 2 cups of water and rinse one can into the other and then into the pot. Bring to a boil, and immediately lower the heat to simmer.
- Add in Short Ribs and both tied herbs and Bay Leaves, stir and simmer for 2 hours.
- Turn off Heat and let the pan cool down and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Following morning, reheat on medium heat until the pan is no longer cool and the lid is warm to the touch. Move to low heat and cook for 6 hours or more. Longer the better! (You can use a crock pot for this step if you like)
PAPPARDELLE PASTA INSTRUCTIONS
- Put all the ingredients in your bread maker, put on a knead setting and let er rip!
- If you don’t have a bread maker, mix both flours together in a bowl.
- Dust a clean surface with some Flour and make a mound with the Flour Mix and create a well in the center.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the Eggs, Marsala Wine and Olive Oil and pour into the well of the Flour
- Add the eggs to the center of the well and whisk with a fork until combined and slowly add the flour pulling in from the edges.
- When the egg and flour are combined together, use a pastry knife to scrape the surface to bring it together to form your dough.
- Knead for 15 minutes or more, and wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 25 to 30 minutes.
- After chilling remove the dough from the plastic wrap into 2 or 3 equal pieces.
IF USING A PASTA MACHINE
- Dust your surface with Flour again, and with your hands, flatten 1 of the pieces of the dough to about a 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch.
- Run the dough through the hand crank pasta maker on the 0 setting (1 setting if no 0) at least 3 times then cut the dough in half
- Turn the pasta machine setting to 4 and run it through 3 more times. (you may need to dust the dough between each settings to avoid sticking)
- Lastly, run the dough through on setting 8 twice. Dust with flour and place on a clean surface. Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls.
- Most pasta machines don’t have a wide enough cut for Pappardelle Pasta. In this case, square off your dough into 6 inch long pieces, dust them and stack together. Then cut strips 3/4 to 1 inch wide with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.
- Separate the pieces and set aside. Repeat the process until completed.
USING A ROLLING PIN
- Dust your surface with Flour again, and with your hands, flatten 1 of the pieces of the dough to about a 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch.
- Dust a large clean surface, (preferably stone countertop) and start rolling your dough alternating the direction to achieve an even roll. Turn over and dust with flour after a handful of rolls.
- You’ll want to roll the dough to about the thickness of a store bought fettuccine noodle. If it’s a little thicker, that’s OK. Makes for a heartier pasta!
- Square off your dough into 6 inch long pieces, dust them and stack together. Then cut strips 3/4 to 1 inch wide with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter..
- Separate the pieces and set aside. and repeat the process until completed.
*NOTE: You can pre-make your raw pasta (not pre-cook!) a few nights before and store it in the fridge in a sealed container.
NOW LET’S BRING IT ALL TOGETHER!
There are a handful of ways to serve up the Short Ribs in this wonderful dish! Some like to serve the Short Rib as a whole, either bone in, or bone out cutting out the connective tissue (my fav). Then there are those, who like to debone the Short Rib, cut out the connective tissue, cut into smaller pieces or shred apart by hand. If you’re choosing the latter, it is best to break down the meat into smaller pieces or shred about 2 hours before plating. This way you can place the meat back into your sauce, give it a good stir, and allow the cut or shredded meat to fully marinate.
COOKING YOUR PASTA AND PLATING
- Fill a 6 to 8 qt saucepan with water, add a little olive oil and a little salt and bring to a boil.
- Add your fresh pasta to the boiling water and reduce heat to medium high. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes depending on how you like your pasta. I prefer Aldente!
- Strain your pasta completely and rinse with medium to hot water, knocking off as much water as possible.
- Plate a good amount of pasta on your dish or in a bowl add your sauce and meat… Then go back for seconds!
Dalla Mia Cucina Alla TuaChef Thom
