Braised Short Rib Ricotta Gnocchi

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Total Time: 4 hours

Serving Size: 4-6 servings

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Light and fluffy ricotta gnocchi tossed in a braised short rib ragu.

Ingredients:

Braised Short Rib:

• 3/4 - 1 lb. boneless beef short ribs

• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 yellow onion, chopped

• 1/3 cup carrots, chopped

• 1/3 cup celery, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 3/4 cup red wine (I used Barolo)

• 2 tbsp. tomato paste

• 14. oz whole peeled tomatoes

• 3 cups beef stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 sprigs rosemary

• Salt & pepper to taste

Ricotta Gnocchi:

• 16 oz. whole milk ricotta, strained

• 3/4 cup ‘00’ flour

• 3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

• 2 egg yolks

• 1/4 tsp. salt

Pro Tip: The braised short rib ragu can be made a day ahead and any extra will keep in the freezer for 1-2 months. It will make extra.

Directions:

Braised Short Rib:

1. In a shallow, oven-safe braising pot, heat the olive oil and sear the short rib over medium heat on all sides. Remove and set aside.

2. In the same pot, add the chopped onion, carrot and celery. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a further 1-2 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomato paste and saute for a further 1-2 minutes. Stir in the red wine, tomatoes and beef stock. Add the short rib back to the pot along with the rosemary and bay leaf and cover with a lid.

4. Braise over low heat for about 3 hours until the meat is fully cooked and tender. Check the short rib every so often and add more braising liquid if needed.

5. Once the short rib has finished cooking, pull it apart with a fork.

Ricotta Gnocchi:

1. To strain the ricotta, wrap the cheese with a cheese cloth and place over a mesh strainer set on top of a bowl. Strain for about an hour and squeeze out all excess liquids.

2. In a mixing bowl, add the strained ricotta, egg yolks, 1/2 cup flour, Parmigiano and salt. Mix well until combined.

3. Divide the dough into 4-5 sections and roll out each section into long ropes (about 3/4 inch wide). Sprinkle some more flour on top as you roll it out. Cut the ropes into tiny pillows with a bench scraper to form the gnocchi.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add plenty of salt. Cook the gnocchi until they float to the top, about 2-3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

5. Once the pasta has finished cooking, strain and add it to the pot with the short rib ragu and pasta water as needed.

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