Short Rib Ragu

One of the first recipes, in our first apartment that Mike and I collaborated on was short ribs. He was actually the one who made them and I made my white truffle mushroom risotto. We loved them so much, that it became a staple and I became a pro at cooking them. One day I decided to vamp up the classic favorite. I thought pasta, rich tomato sauce, short rib, creamy mascarpone. I made it. Then I made it again. Then I made it again, and again. Until I perfected it. And now I dream of this deep, rich, short rib ragu.

For your gravy: you can use your favorite homemade recipe, if you don’t have one you can use jarred sauce - one I found that tastes pretty authentic is RAO’s. You’ll want your gravy to be cooking separately for however long it takes while your short rib slowly cooks in the oven.

For pasta, this is preference. I think what works best for this ragu is pappardelle, rigatoni, Campanelle or my favorite ricotta cavatelli which I find in the frozen section.

Ingredients:

• Short rib: 4 pieces

• San Marzano tomatoes: 32 oz can

• Small onion: 1

• Garlic cloves: 3 chopped

• Onion powder

• Garlic powder

• Red pepper flakes

• Salt

• Pepper

• Beef stock: 2/3 cup

• Dry red wine: 1/4 cup

• Pasta of choice: I use frozen ricotta cheese cavatelli about 1 bag

For your garnishes:

Mascarpone

Shredded Parmesan

Fresh basil

Red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 315

In a cast iron sear 4 pieces of short rib on high - browning all 4 sides

In your baking dish add your short rib & one 32 oz can of San Marzano crushed tomatoes

Add around your short rib your onion sliced in thick chunks

Add chopped garlic cloves

Season:

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flake

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Add 2/3 cup of beef stock

Add 1/4 cup of dry red wine

Cover with two layers of foil, Make sure 2 layers to seal the heat

Cook for 1 1/2 hours

After 1 1/2 hours take out and flip over your short rib, recover with two layers of foil and cook another 1 1/2 hours ; for the last half hour cook uncovered

Once short ribs are cooked remove and let cool

Cut off fat and discard

Cut the rest of short rib (will probably fall off the bone) and place aside

Add your chopped up short rib to your tomato sauce on the stove top and let simmer on very low, uncovered or partially covered about 1 hour stirring occasionally

To serve:

Add pasta of your choice to dish

Scoop sauce over top

Add a dollop of mascarpone on the top

Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan & freshly chopped basil

Season with a little salt, pepper & red pepper flakes

Enjoy! :)