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We're getting cheeky as a top chef shares how he makes beef cheeks into ‘Casarecce’. Andrew Duncan is Executive Chef with recently-opened and Italian-inspired restaurant 'Ash', in Tampa's Water Street district, and he's smuggled out this recipe from their menu to make with us.
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Casarecce with Braised Beef Cheeks and Roasted Tomatoes
Braised Beef Cheeks Ingredients
- 1 lb beef cheeks or short ribs
- salt, for seasoning
- 2 cups red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon recommended)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 10 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 qt beef stock (or chicken stock)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp whole black pepper
- 5 cloves
Roasted Tomatoes Ingredients
- 6 plum tomatoes, cut into large chunks
- 10 garlic cloves, grated into paste
- 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Other Ingredients
- dried casarecce pasta (or other pasta of choice)
- Ricotta salata or a dry, crumbly cheese (Parmesan or Pecorino)
- butter
- red wine vinegar
- shiso (or substitute mint or basil)
Directions
For Braised Beef Cheeks
- Preheat large, oven-proof pan over medium-high heat and preheat oven to 325° F.
- Season beef cheeks with salt and sear in pan on all sides until crust forms. Remove beef and set aside.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to pan. Sweat until fragrant.
- Deglaze pan with red wine, scraping fond from bottom.
- Wrap bay leaves, cinnamon stick, black pepper, and cloves in cheesecloth to create bundle. Add to pan along with beef and beef stock.
- Place pan in oven and cook 4–5 hours, until meat is tender.
- Allow cooling. Then, remove beef to pull apart by hand. Discard spice bundle.
- Blend vegetables and cooking liquid until smooth. Reserve beef and sauce for pasta.
For Roasted Tomatoes
- Toss tomatoes with garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and black pepper. Season with salt.
- Roast on sheet tray at 450° F for 10 minutes.
For Assembly
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In pan, warm sauce, add butter and dash of red wine vinegar to emulsify. Toss with pasta, braised beef, and roasted tomatoes.
- Serve with crumbled ricotta salata, shiso, salt, and pepper to taste.
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