Pappardelle with Meat Sauce

Serves 4

4 beef short ribs, flanken style (approx. 1 lb. each)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
Flour for dredging
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp. parsley, finely minced
4 to 6 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dried porcini, rehydrated in chicken broth and chopped
1 cup canned tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup white wine
3 cups beef broth

Season short ribs with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. Heat oil in braising pan and brown meat on all sides. Transfer ribs to plate. Add chopped onion and celery until softened, then add chopped carrot and garlic and continue to sauté. Add herbs and mushrooms (strained), add wine and deglaze. Add tomatoes, reserved ribs, beef broth and simmer until meat falls off of bone. Let cool overnight in refrigerator.

To finish sauce, remove bones from meat, reserve meat, defat the sauce and slowly simmer. Take cartilage and fat away from meat and chop meat finely. Add back into sauce and simmer gently. Reserve sauce until ready to serve over Pappardelle pasta.

Serve with Parmesan cheese, shredded Romano and chopped parsley. Delicious over polenta too.

Pair with Ferrari-Carano Zinfandel.