Mezzi Paccheri with Ox Tail Ragoût

by Ling @ 23 Oct 2013
Mezzi Paccheri with Ox Tail Ragoût Ingredients
1 ox tail (about 1kg)
Vegetable stock, to taste
1 (each) carrot, leek, celery rib and shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
20ml extra virgin olive oil
600ml red wine
1 (each) rosemary sprig and sage sprig
200g whole tomatoes, peeled and sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
320g mezzi paccheri pasta, cooked al dente
80g grated parmesan cheese

Preparation
Place the ox tail and vegetable stock into a cooking pot and cook over high heat to a boil. Reduce heat and braise the ox tail for an hour and 30 minutes. Strain the vegetable stock into a saucepan and remove any scum that arises to the surface. Set aside the braised ox tail to cool.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a cooking pot. Add in the chopped vegetables and sweat until vegetables have softened. Add in the braised ox tail and sweat for a few minutes. Add in the red wine and the rosemary and sage sprigs, and then simmer until sauce has reduced. Add in the sliced tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Add a little vegetable stock at a time and simmer until the ox tail meat is fork-tender.

Remove the braised ox tail from it's braising jus and shred the meat, carefully removing all the bones and cartilages. Return the shredded ox tail meat into the braising jus and cook until sauce has thickened. Add in the al dente mezzi paccheri pasta and toss well. Ladle the ox tail ragoût into
each serving bowl and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serves 4