Agrodolce beef cheeks with pappardelle

Name: Agrodolce beef cheeks with pappardelle
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 4 h 10 min
Total time: 4 h 50 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 beef cheeks (about 1kg); 500 ml red wine; 1½ tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, coarsely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 litre beef stock (4 cups); 4 rosemary sprigs; 2 tbsp brown sugar, or to taste; 80 ml saba (see note) (1/3 cup); 60 ml red wine vinegar, or to taste (¼ cup); 1 quantity egg-yolk pasta dough; For dusting: fine semolina; 1 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped; Finely grated rind of 2 lemons; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Australian Gourmet Traveller pasta recipe for agrodolce beef cheeks with pappardelle.

Jun 08, 2010 5:57am

By Gourmet Food Team

Serves 6
40 mins preparation
4 hrs 10 mins cooking plus making pasta, marinating, resting

Agrodolce beef cheeks with pappardelle

You'll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Ingredients

4 beef cheeks (about 1kg)
500 ml red wine
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 litre beef stock (4 cups)
4 rosemary sprigs
2 tbsp brown sugar, or to taste
80 ml saba (see note) (1/3 cup)
60 ml red wine vinegar, or to taste (¼ cup)

Pappardelle

1 quantity <b><u><a href='http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/egg-yolk-pasta-dough.htm'>egg-yolk pasta dough</a></b></u>
For dusting: fine semolina

Gremolata

1 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Method

Main

1
Combine beef cheeks and red wine in a non-reactive container, refrigerate to marinate overnight, turning occasionally.
2
Preheat oven to 110C. Heat oil in a large casserole over high heat. Remove beef from marinade (reserve marinade), pat dry and cook, turning once, until browned (1-2 minutes each side), remove beef, set aside. Reduce heat to low, add onion and garlic to casserole, sauté until tender (7-10 minutes). Add tomato paste and stir occasionally until paste darkens (1-2 minutes). Add stock, three rosemary sprigs, reserved marinade and bring to the simmer. Add beef, cover and cook in oven until very tender (3-3½ hours).
3
Meanwhile, for pappardelle, cut pasta into 2cm-thick ribbons and set aside on a tray dusted with semolina.
4
Remove beef from liquid, strain liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Add sugar, saba, vinegar and remaining rosemary. Reduce liquid over medium heat until slightly thickened (10-15 minutes). Season to taste, adding more sugar and vinegar to taste. Coarsely shred beef, toss through sauce, keep warm.
5
For gremolata, combine ingredients in a bowl, stir to combine and set aside.
6
Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (1-2 minutes). Drain, toss through beef sauce and serve hot, scattered with gremolata.