This is the recipe you pull out when you’re hosting a dinner party and want to impress. 

Short rib ragú tagliatelle

Serves 6-8 

Ingredients 

3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil
2 onions, grated
1 packet celery, grated
4 cloves garlic, grated
1.6kg beef short rib
Salt and milled pepper
200g pork belly or pancetta, cut into ½cm thick cubes
100g tomato paste
1 cup red wine
⅓cup milk
2 cups passata
2 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 piece of Parmesan rind (optional)
Grating of nutmeg
4 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme + extra leaves for garnish
700g tagliatelle pasta, for serving
Parmesan, for serving 

Method   

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Heat half the oil in an oven proof pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sweat for 5-8 minutes, careful not to brown – aromatics should just turn translucent. Add garlic and fry for a minute. 
3. Spoon aromatics out of the pot, making sure the pot is clean as any leftover bits will burn hereafter. 
4. Add remaining oil to the pot, increasing heat to high.Season short rib well. Once pot is very hot, add short rib in two batches and brown well on all sides. There will be a caramelised layer (called the fond) forming at the bottom of the pot – keep scraping it off to encourage caramelising. 
5. After about 12-15 minutes when all your meat is deep, dark brown, remove and set aside. Add the pork cubes and cook for another 5 minutes until browned 
6. Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until it turns a deep red colour and starts to caramelise. 
7. Return short rib and add wine to deglaze the pot, then simmer to reduce by a third. 
8. Add milk and cook down for 2 minutes (this will tenderise the meat). Then add remaining ingredients and return aromatics to the pot. Bring to a quick simmer. 
9. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour, then turn the heat down to 160°C and cook for a further 1½-2 hours. It is ideal to switch off the oven and leave the pot in the oven, to cook in the residual heat. 
10. Once cool, remove the short rib and shred the meat, discarding bones and any sinewy fat. Remove Parmesan rind and herbs from the sauce, then return shredded meat to the pot and reheat when ready for serving. 
11. Adjust seasoning, adding a splash of vinegar if needed. 
12. Serve on a bed of tagliatelle and top with Parmesan shavings and extra thyme leaves. 

 Cook’s note: Take your time to caramelise all sides of every piece of meat, as this is where a deep flavour comes from.

Trattoria  

These rustic Italian eateries are the there for everyday fare. It is not as fancy as a city restaurant, but not quite as relaxed as the wine-focused osteria spots. Here the service style is casual – don’t expect a printed menu – often serving food family-style, meaning a big plate in the centre for everyone to dish up. The traditional Italian meals are sold at moderate prices, but come in bountiful servings, just like a nonna would dish up. 

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Smoky BBQ pork ribs & cheesy loaded fries

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