Orecchiette with Red-Wine Veal Sauce
(Orecchiette con Salsa di Vitello in Vino Rosso)
Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
2 and 1/2 lbs veal shanks (Osso Buco; four 1 and 3/4 inch thick pieces)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large red onions
One 28-to-32 ounce can whole tomatoes including juice
2 cups dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flaked
3 whole cloves
1 and 1/4 lbs dried Orecchiette pasta
Directions:
Prepare the Sauce:
Pat veal shanks dry and season with salt and pepper.
In a deep large heavy skillet heat olive oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown shanks on all sides.
Transfer shanks to a plate and in skillet saute onions, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes.
In a blender or food processor coarsely puree tomatoes with juice and stir into onions with remaining sauce ingredients.
Bring mixture to a simmer.
Add shanks and cook, covered, over low heat 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender.
Discard cloves.
Transfer shanks to a cutting board and cool slightly.
Simmer sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
Using 2 forks shred meat.
With a sharp knife remove marrow from shanks and chop.
Stir meat and marrow into sauce and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer sauce 15 minutes.
Sauce may be made ahead, cooled completely, uncovered, and chilled, covered. 2 days or frozen 1 month.
In an 8-quart kettle bring 7 quarts of salted water to a boil.
Cook orecchiette pasta until 'al dente' and drain in a colander.
In a large heated bowl immediately toss pasta with sauce. Serves 6 to 8 as a main course.