Short Rib Ravioli with Tomato Sauce, Tonnato & Caramelized Shallot
paired with Hedges Family Estate 2009 Single Vineyard Limited Cabernet Sauvignon
4 servings
Tomato Sauce:
¼ c extra virgin olive oil
6 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 - 28 oz cans of whole Roma tomatoes
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden brown.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened; about 45 minutes. Make sure to maintain a simmer and stir the sauce often. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to help break apart the whole tomatoes. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Tonnato:
1 - 5 oz can of tuna, drained
½ c mayonnaise
3 T fresh lemon juice
¼ c olive oil
Salt to taste
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt. The sauce should be smooth, creamy, and thin enough to drizzle. If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and blend again.
Braised short rib filling:
2 ½ lb beef short ribs, bone-in
Salt and black pepper
2 T vegetable oil
1 onion, cut into quarters
5 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs
3 c cabernet sauvignon or any dry red you have
1 c beef stock
2 medium red onion, minced
¼ c olive oil
3 T water
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350℉. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Season your short ribs generously with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, work in two batches to carefully add the short ribs to the pan and brown on all sides. This will take about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer short ribs to a plate to cool and pour the extra fat out of the pot.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine and beef stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Use a spatula to make sure any browned bits are removed from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium. Return the short ribs to the pan along with the onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven.
Cook until short ribs are very tender, about 2 ½ hours. Transfer meat to a plate in the fridge to cool. If you want to save the sauce for another recipe, strain, cool, and remove the fat from the surface.
Warm a medium saute pan or cast iron over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan followed by the minced red onion. Use a spatula to mix the onions and coat with the oil. Spread the onions around the pan and let sit still for a few minutes until the bottom begins to brown. Once you can see the onions have a nice medium brown color on the bottom add the 3 tablespoons of water, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have broken down and are an even dark caramel brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool.
Remove the short rib meat from the bones (including all the fat) and cut it into small chunks that will fit through your meat grinder. Mix the meat, red onion, and eggs together in a medium bowl. Fit your meat grinder with a medium plate. Grind the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Once ground, place in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium just until the mixture is evenly combined and appears emulsified, no more than 30 seconds to a minute. Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill your pasta.
Egg yolk pasta dough:
1 c all-purpose flour or tipo 00 flour
½ c semolina flour
10 lg egg yolks
1 T olive oil
1 to 3 T of water as needed
Combine flours in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment. On medium speed add the egg yolks and oil. Let mix entirely before adding any water. The dough should be moist but not stick to the sides of the bowl. Add water one tablespoon at a time, if needed, until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until it is smooth and pulls back when pressed or stretched. Add more flour as necessary if it starts to stick. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic. Let rest for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to a day.
When ready to roll out pasta, cut into 4 equal pieces. Lightly flour your work surface and have extra flour ready. Set your pasta machine to the widest setting. Press one piece of dough down with your palm to flatten it as much as possible. Pass it through the machine. Fold it in thirds like a letter and pass it through again. Repeat this process one more time. Change your machine to the next setting and pass the dough through. Continue to lightly flour the dough as needed so as not to stick. Continue to roll the dough through smaller settings one at a time until the dough is just under ⅛ of an inch (this is number 5 on my Mercato pasta machine).
Cut dough into rounds or squares for the desired ravioli shape. Fill with short rib mixture and refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.
To Serve: (4 people)
2 shallots cut into thick slices
2 T olive oil
4 T salt
Warm 2 ½ cups of tomato sauce in a medium pan. Fill a medium pot with water and add your 4 T of salt, bring to a boil.
In a small pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot slices to the pan and brown on both sides. Remove from heat.
Drop the desired number of pieces in the boiling water depending on the size and shape of your pasta. Cook for 4 minutes. Remove from water and place directly into the tomato sauce along with 3/4 c of the pasta cooking water. Allow the pasta to cook over medium heat for another 2 to 3 minutes in the sauce, or until the water has reduced and the sauce is coating the pasta. Taste for salt. Transfer to your plates or serving bowl. Drizzle with tonnato and spread the browned shallots on top. Garnish with your favorite fresh herb and enjoy with Hedges 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon.
