Mafalde with Veal Ragu and Cavolo Nero - Chef Recipe by Marco Masotti

Ingredients

1 kg brown onions
70mL extra virgin olive oil
1 kg veal blade, or shoulder
500mL white cooking wine
1 bunch Tuscan cabbage, leafy parts
200g Grana Padano
500mL vegetable stock
Salt to taste
800g Mafalde pasta
Parmesan

Method

Peel and slice the onions, place them in a large pot with the olive oil and start cooking on low heat.

In the meantime, clean the veal blade, removing the outside sinew and excess fat and dice it.

Once the onions are soft, turn the heat up, add the meat and season with salt.

Cook on high heat until most of the liquid released from the meat is evaporated, stirring; add the white wine and cook until that’s reduced as well.

Finally add the vegetable stock, bring back to simmer and turn the heat low; cook for another 2 hours till the meat is falling apart, adding more stock if necessary and stirring occasionally.

Once your ragu is ready, turn the heat off and add the julienned Tuscan cabbage, stir and let rest, adjust the seasoning.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta 1 minute less than recommended.

Turn your ragu back on, strain the pasta ‘al dente’ and finish to cook for the remaining minute inside the ragu.

Finish with Parmesan and serve.

Note: If you get the veal blade from your local butcher, ask them to trim off the sinew and excess fat for you.

The recipe can be halved, but the risk of colouring the onions is higher. We would suggest making the ragu according to the recipe and freeze the remainder (up to 3 months).

Recipe provided by Sella Vinoteca