Angela's Italian Recipe for Gnocchi with Oxtail Ragu

Gnocchi with Oxtail Ragu
(Gnocchi al Ragu di Coda di Bue)


Ingredients:

For the Ragu:
5 pounds 2 to 3-inch pieces oxtails
All purpose flour
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 large celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled, chopped
1 large onion, very coarsely chopped
2 cups dry red wine
1 and 1/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes with added puree
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 fresh parsley sprigs
2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
3 Turkish bay leaves
2 cups beef broth
1 cup chicken broth

For the Gnocchi:
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup semolina flour (pasta flour)
4 large egg yolks
1 and 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano cheese, divided
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:
Prepare the Ragu:
Preheat oven to 325°F.

Sprinkle oxtails with salt and pepper, then flour.

Heat olive oil in heavy wide ovenproof pot over high heat.

Add oxtails; cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes.

Transfer to bowl.

Add celery, carrots, and onion to pot.

Reduce heat to medium-high and saute until vegetables brown, about 15 minutes.

Add wine and tomatoes.

Boil until thickened to chunky sauce, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle in garlic.

Tie parsley, rosemary, and bay leaves with kitchen string and add to pot.

Return oxtails to pot in single layer.

Add all broth; bring to boil.

Cover pot; place in oven.

Braise oxtails until very tender, about 2 hours.

Transfer oxtails to rimmed baking sheet.

Using potato masher, crush juices and vegetables in pot to coarse sauce.

Pull meat off oxtails and add to sauce.

Season ragu with salt and pepper.

Prepare the Gnocchi:
Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish.

Bring milk, butter, and salt to simmer in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.

Gradually whisk in semolina.

Stir until semolina is very thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat; mix in yolks, 1 at a time, then 1 cup Parmigiano cheese.

Place pot over low heat and stir 2 minutes.

Spread semolina in prepared dish.

Cover and chill until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Butter 15 x 10 x 2-inch glass baking dish.

Using 1 and 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out as many semolina gnocchi as possible; arrange in prepared dish.

Top with warm ragu; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese.

Bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 6-8.