Best Bobby Flays Beef Ragù With Fettuccine Is Italian Comfort Food At Its Best Recipes

SHORT RIB RAGU WITH PAPPARDELLE AND PECORINO ROMANO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place a 5-quart casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil, and heat until it is almost smoking. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, add short ribs to the hot oil. Cook ribs until browned on both sides. Remove ribs from casserole, and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, prepare bouquet garni: Place bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, and parsley in the center of a square of cheesecloth. Bring edges together, and tie with kitchen string. Set bouquet garni aside.
• Add carrots, celery, onion, and shallots to oil in the casserole, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add flour and tomato paste to the casserole, and stir to combine. Add ruby port; stir with wooden spoon until all browned bits have been scraped from the pan and the bottom of the casserole is clean. Add red wine, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add garlic, beef stock, and the reserved bouquet garni.
• Return browned ribs to the casserole. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the casserole, and place it in the oven. Cook until ribs are very tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the cooked ribs from the casserole. Set the casserole on the stove top over medium heat, and simmer to thicken sauce just slightly. As soon as the short ribs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, and shred into small pieces. Degrease the sauce and discard the bouquet garni. Return shredded meat to casserole, and simmer to reduce sauce by about half.
• Fill a large pot with water and add a few tablespoons of salt. Set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Salt well, and stir in pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente. Drain pasta, and serve with short-rib ragu, sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with freshly grated Percorino Romano.

RED WINE BRAISED BEEF AND PASTA GRATIN

Steps:

• For the Beef: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and cook on both sides for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add all of the wine to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, add all of the remaining ingredients, except the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid, braise on the stove top or place in the oven and let braise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until very tender. Remove the meat to a plate and strain the cooking liquids into a bowl. Clean out the pan and add the strained liquid into the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat until reduced by 1/3. Return the meat to the pan and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.
• For the Pasta Gratin: Place milk and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes, then remove the garlic. Melt butter in a small saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream and cook over medium-high heat until thickened, season with salt and pepper and nutmeg, remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place cooked pasta in a buttered medium flameproof baking dish, add the sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle the Gruyere over the top of the pasta then sprinkle the Parmesan over the Gruyere. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil, rotating the dish, until the cheese is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with chives.