Pappardelle al Ragu - Chef Recipe by Davide Incardona

Ingredients

420 g fresh egg pappardelle pasta
500 g Wagyu beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
800 g canned crushed tomatoes
150mL red wine
100 g English spinach, washed
100 g Asiago cheese, grated
Dust of grated dark chocolate at the end
2 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Bouquet garni of herbs such as thyme, rosemary and bay leaf

Method

Heat olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic, cooking until they soften.

Increase heat to medium-high, add the seasoned Wagyu beef chunks and cook them until browned on each side.

Deglaze the pan with red wine, allowing the alcohol to evaporate.

Add crushed tomatoes and bouquet garni, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.

When the ragù is ready, cook the fresh egg pappardelle in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and keep a glass of the cooking water.

Stir English spinach into the ragù until it softens. Season with salt and pepper to adjust the taste.

Stir the pasta with the beef ragù on a medium heat, add some of the cooking water to it stir again, add extra virgin olive oil to emulsify with the liquids, add the grated Asiago cheese and toss the pasta until it is ‘mantecata’ to perfection.

Plate the pasta in a nest and grate some dark chocolate on top.

Recipe provided by Chef Davide Incardona