Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Pasta

Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Pasta

Ingredients

250 g (8.8 oz) Liguori fettuccine pasta

800 g (28 oz) beef chuck steak, cut into cubes

1 carrot, finely diced

½ onion, finely diced

1 celery stalk with leaves, finely diced

1 fresh rosemary sprig

A handful of bay leaves

A handful of fresh basil leaves

1 bottle tomato passata (tomato purée)

1 liter (4.2 cups) vegetable stock, plus more as needed

1 small glass red wine

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

To Make the Sauce

Cut the beef chuck into medium-sized cubes. Heat a casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium heat with 4–5 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.

Add the diced carrot, onion, and celery along with a small splash of water. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender.

Add a few rosemary leaves and stir, allowing the vegetables to break down and become slightly mushy. Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the beef and stir well with a wooden spoon to coat. This step helps build a rich, creamy base. Once the meat begins to soften, pour in the red wine and continue stirring.

When the wine has mostly evaporated, add a small amount of vegetable stock to keep the mixture moist. Pour in the tomato passata and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

As the sauce thickens, add about half a liter of vegetable stock. Add the bay leaves, celery leaves, and remaining rosemary, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

Cover and let the sauce simmer gently for about 4 hours. Stir every 30 minutes and add more stock as needed to prevent drying out. During the final 30 minutes, remove the bay leaves, celery leaves, and rosemary stalk. Continue cooking uncovered to help thicken the sauce.

Turn off the heat, stir in the fresh basil if using, and cover the sauce while you prepare the pasta.

To Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir until dissolved.

Add the fettuccine and cook for about 8 minutes for al dente or 9 minutes for a softer texture, following package instructions. Stir occasionally.

Reserve one mug of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Finishing Touches

Heat a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.

Add three ladles of the ragù sauce and warm gently, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Transfer the drained pasta to the pan and toss thoroughly with tongs. If the pasta looks dry, add one or two more ladles of sauce to reach the desired consistency.

Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss well to fully coat the pasta. Add more pasta water if needed.

Finish by spooning one additional ladle of ragù over the pasta for extra richness. Serve immediately.