Chestnut Pappardelle with Oxtail Ragù
by Chef Dean Cambray
Serves 6
Ingredients
Chestnut Pasta
- 1 1/3 cups chestnut flour
- 1 1/3 cups 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 good pinch of salt
Oxtail Ragù
- 5 lb oxtail, cut
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 small onions, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 bottle of dry white wine
- 11/2 pints beef stock/chicken stock
- 11/2 pints water
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- Place the oxtail in a roasting pan, season, and roast for 40 minutes or until browned.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large casserole over medium heat and cook the vegetables, garlic, and chill for 10 minutes or until golden.
- Add the oxtail, wine, and simmer until reduced to 11/2 cups. Add the water and stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hrs or until the meat is nearly falling off the bone.
- Strain into a bowl, return the liquid to a pan the simmer over high heat until reduced to 11/2 pints.
- Separate the oxtail from the vegetables, remove the meat from the bone, then return the meat and vegetables to the sauce.
- Meanwhile, for pasta, combine the flours and create a mound on a work surface. Make a well in the center and pour in the whisked eggs and the oil. Using a fork, draw in the flour until the mixture is thick, then work in the remaining flour with your hands.
- Knead dough for 6 minutes until firm; add extra flour if sticky. Wrap in plastic and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6. Using a rolling pin, flatten 1 portion (keep the remainder covered) until 3mm thick and 12 cm wide – nearly the width of your pasta machine.
- Set the machine to the widest setting (one), then feed the dough through, narrowing the setting on your machine one notch at a time after each pass until you reach number six.
- Cut the pasta sheets in half, fold into thirds, then cut widthwise into 3cm strips.
- Untangle the pappardelle, dust lightly with flour, and place on a tea towel.
- Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water for a minute, drain well and immediately add to the ragù with the parsley and dirt gently until combined. Serve immediately.