Making

Pasta with Spicy Beef Ragu and Capers


Tagliatelle with Spiced Beef Ragu and Capers

Tagliatelle with Spiced Beef Ragu and Capers

Time to slow down and relax. Kick this off, and seeing as you’ve already opened a bottle of wine, pour yourself a glass and put your feet up while the beef stews.

In a while you’re going to have an awesome beef stew, with some chunky manly carbs stirred through. It’s Friday night. It’s Man Food night…

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil,
  • 750g – 1kg diced stewing beef,
  • 1 carrot, cleaned and cubed
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, roasted
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds,
  • pinch cumin,
  • few sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
  • salt and pepper to season,
  • 70g tomato purée
  • 1/2 bottle (375ml) red wine,
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes,
  • 500ml chicken stock,
  • 400g pasta, (papardelle, fettucine, tagliatelle, etc.)
  • 2 tbsp capers,
  • knob of butter,
  • parmesan cheese for grating.

Method

  1. In a dry pan, roast your coriander seeds. Toss them about a bit to stop them burning, and when they’re fragrant, take them off the heat.
  2. Meanwhile, in small batches, brown your beef cubes. Do this in small batches to avoid boiling your beef as it releases it’s moisture into the pan. Set aside the browned beef.
  3. In the same pan, sauté your onion, carrot and celery for a few minutes.
  4. When your vegetables begin to soften, return the beef to the pan with all the herbs and spices and the tomato purée. Fry until the tomatoes begin to smell sweet, before adding the wine and chopped tomatoes.
  5. Stir and add enough stock to cover the meat. Now bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer. With the lid slightly ajar, leave the beef to stew for at least an hour and a half or until the meat is delishiously tender. Check back every now and again to top up with more stock if the stew is becoming too dry.
  6. Towards the end, cook your pasta. This dish needs a gutsy pasta, so go for a chunky papardelle, fettucine or tagliatelle. Cook according to packet instructions, and again slightly undercook it as we’ll finish it in the sauce.
  7. When your pasta is cooked, drain and toss in a knob of butter. Add the capers to the ragu and adjust your seasoning. Finally toss the pasta through the ragu and leave it to stand for a few minutes off the heat. Serve immediately with parmesan shavings.
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