Short Ribs in Red Sauce with Rigatoni

Ingredients

8 to 10 bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of fat
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 carrots, finely diced
2 celery ribs, finely diced
1 large onion, finely diced
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 large fresh bay leaves
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups dry red or white wine

3 cups beef stock
1 32-ounce can Italian San Marzano tomatoes
Herb bundle of sage, parsley, thyme
1 to 1 1/2 pounds rigatoni
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
1/4 cup tomato paste

Yields: 6

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Heat EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season meat with salt and pepper, and brown all over in batches. Remove meat to a plate and add vegetables, garlic and bay to the pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook to soften 5-6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute then add wine. Reduce by half then add stock and tomatoes. Break up tomatoes and slide meat back in along with herb bundle. Cover and transfer to oven; cook to tender, 2 1/2 hours.

Remove meat and discard herb bundle. Cover and keep warm simmer sauce to thicken while you cook rigatoni.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Season water with salt and cook rigatoni to al dente. Drain pasta and toss with butter and half to 2/3 of the sauce. Serve pasta topped with meat on or off the bone. Pass extra sauce at table with Romano cheese.