Pappadelle with Beef Ragu

Serves 4-6

Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pappardelle

300g tipo 00 flour

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pinch sea salt

For the Beef Ragu

500g beef chuck or brisket, diced into 2 cm pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 tbsp tomato paste

600ml beef stock

250ml red wine

400g can chopped tomatoes

2 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

To start, make the pappardelle dough by placing the tipo 00 flour on a clean work surface, forming a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well, add olive oil, and a pinch of salt.

Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides until a dough begins to form. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Wrap in cling film and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

While the dough rests, prepare the beef ragu. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef, searing each side until browned. Remove the beef and set it aside.

In the same pot, add the chopped onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, cooking until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute to deepen the flavour. Pour in the red wine, using a spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half.

Return the beef to the pot, then add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, rosemary, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 hours, or until the beef is tender and the sauce is rich and thickened.

Once the ragu is nearly ready, roll out the pasta dough. Divide the dough into quarters, keeping the rest covered while you work with one piece at a time. Roll out each piece until it’s about 2 mm thick, then cut into 2-3 cm wide strips to form pappardelle. Dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving a small amount of the pasta water.

To serve, gently toss the cooked pappardelle with the beef ragu, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve hot, with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.