Otway Pasta Slow Cooked Beef Ragu
Rich, hearty, and fall-apart tender, this Slow Cooked Beef Ragu is the ultimate winter warmer. Using Otway Pasta Company’s fresh fettuccine, this dish pairs delicate ribbons of pasta with a deeply flavourful sauce, slow-simmered for hours to bring out every nuance of the beef, wine, and tomato base. It’s rustic Italian cooking at its finest—comforting, generous, and made to be shared.
Caramelised beef ribs melt into a rich blend of tomatoes, red wine, and aromatics, finished with the savoury depth of parmesan rind and thyme. The result is a luxurious ragu that clings to every strand of pasta. Finished with freshly grated parmesan and basil, this dish is a showstopper for special occasions or a rewarding weekend cook-up. Serve with crusty bread and a bold red wine for the full experience.
Ingredients
1.5-2kg beef ribs
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, diced
1 brown onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup red wine
2 san marzano tomato tins
2 tins crushed tomatoes
1/3 bunch thyme (leaves and stalks)
3 bay leaves
1 parmesan rind
1 pckt of Otway Pasta fettuccine
Parmesan to serve
Fresh basil to serve
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 170 degrees and season your beef ribs with salt and pepper. Place your non-stick oven-safe casserole pot, over medium to high heat and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Cook your ribs for a few minutes on the ‘meaty side’ until browned and caramelised. Remove and set aside.
To your pot add in another tablespoon olive oil and your diced carrot, onion, garlic, celery, salt and pepper, cooking until it begins to soften.
Next, add in your tomato paste, red wine, tins of tomato, thyme, bay leaves and parmesan rind, mixing until well combined. Bring your sauce to a boil and then add your beef ribs back in (ensuring they are covered and immersed into your sauce).
Place the lid on your pot and put in your oven for around 4- 5 hours (your meat should be soft and tender).
Remove your ribs, thyme stalks, bay leaves, and parmesan rind, and use 2 forks to ‘shred’ the meat, before adding it back to your sauce.
Cook your pasta according to al dente packet instructions and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
Once cooked, add your pasta and water to your sauce.
To serve, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.
