Turn rich braised oxtail into light pillows of agnolotti, a type of pasta from the Piedmont region of Italy.
I’ve grown to really appreciate a slow braise. Braising seems particularly well-suited for a cold winter’s day (okay, technically not winter anymore, but it still can get cold around here). The kind of day in which you have no plans to leave your house, but rather to curl up with a good book or binge watch/catch up on your favorite television series while your home is filled with the most enticing aromas. An excuse to take it easy. To stay in your pjs all day. That’s how I spent a recent peaceful Sunday.
The best cuts of meat for braising are typically those that are less tender. Such cuts tend to be less expensive than their more tender counterparts. A perfect braising meat, as oxtail is bony and gelatin-rich.
Braising Process
No matter the cut of meat you intend to use, the braising process is essentially the same:
- Pan-sear the meat until nicely browned on all sides.
- Add the aromatics (i.e., onion, celery, carrot) and fresh herbs.
- Add some braising liquid (e.g. wine, beer, vinegar, and/or stock).
- Cover and cook in the oven at a low temperature for several hours, until fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Lastly, use the delicious pan gravy to create a flavorful sauce to drizzle over your finished dish.
I took the oxtail one step further with a homemade agnolotti, a type of pasta from the Piedmont region of Italy.
On its own, braised oxtail is hearty and rich. As a filling for pasta, the oxtail is somehow transformed into something more light and delicate. Little pillows of rich goodness, bathed in a beef broth (from the braising liquid). Finished simply with thinly sliced parsley, lemon zest, and freshly grated Parmesan.
How to Make Braised Oxtail Ravioli Filling
- In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they turn a deep brown, which should take about 12 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the chopped braised oxtail and half a cup of chicken stock. Let it simmer until the mixture reduces and becomes sticky.
- Pour in the remaining chicken stock and continue cooking until the mixture thickens.
- Off the heat, stir in bone marrow (if using), parsley, and salt. Once the marrow melts into the mixture, transfer it to a food processor.
- While hot, puree the oxtail mixture until smooth. Incorporate the Parmigiano cheese and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Allow the filling to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a piping bag.
How to Make Ravioli Dough
- On a clean work surface, combine flour and salt, forming a mound with a well in the center.
- In the well, gradually add the eggs, yolks, and olive oil. Gently whisk the eggs without breaking the walls of the flour.
- Incorporate the flour gradually, eventually kneading with your hands to form a stiff dough. Spritz with water if too dry.
- Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.
How to Form Agnolotti
1. Prepare Your Workspace:
- Clear a large flat surface for rolling out the dough.
- Lightly dust the surface with flour to prevent sticking.
- Have a sharp knife, pasta wheel, or pastry cutter ready.
- Ensure the oxtail filling in the piping bag is nearby.
2. Roll Out the Pasta Dough:
- Take the rested ravioli dough and divide it if it’s too large to manage.
- Roll out the dough using a rolling pin or pasta machine. Aim for a very thin sheet, almost translucent. If using a pasta machine, roll the dough until the second-to-last setting.
3. Piping the Filling:
- Cut the rolled dough in half, creating two long strips approximately three inches wide.
- Starting at one end of a pasta strip, pipe the filling in small, evenly spaced mounds along the entire length. Ensure there’s roughly a 1/2-inch gap between each mound.
4. Folding and Sealing the Pasta:
- Mist the edges of the pasta strip lightly with water using a spray bottle; this helps create a seal.
- Carefully fold the dough over the piped filling. Press down gently around each mound to push out any trapped air. This prevents the agnolotti from bursting during cooking.
- Make sure to firmly press and seal the long edge of the pasta strip.
5. Cutting the Agnolotti:
- Use the pasta wheel or a sharp knife to trim the folded and sealed long edge of the pasta strip, ensuring a clean, straight line.
- Cut individual agnolotti by running the pasta wheel between each mound of filling in a swift motion. Each piece should look like a small, sealed pocket of filling.
6. Storing or Cooking:
-
- Place the formed agnolotti on a floured or parchment-lined tray, ensuring they aren’t touching to prevent sticking.
- If not cooking immediately, they can be frozen on the tray and then transferred to a freezer bag once solid. Remember to cook from frozen; do not thaw.
Homemade Oxtail Agnolotti
- Total Time: 5 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 portions 1x
Description
Turn rich braised oxtail into light pillows of agnolotti, a type of pasta from the Piedmont region of Italy.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Braised Oxtail
- *3 1/2 pounds oxtail
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 onion (chopped or 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced length-wise)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped into ~1″ pieces)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
- 3–4 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- few sprigs of parsley
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Agnolotti Filling (Adapted from Scott Conant’s Scarpetta Cookbook)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 white onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 cups chopped braised oxtail (see above)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 ounces *bone marrow optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- salt
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Ravioli (Rav) Dough
- 2 cups 360 grams 00 flour
- 1 teaspoon 5 grams kosher salt
- 2 large eggs (100 grams)
- 5 to 6 egg yolks (90 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
For the Braised Oxtail:
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the oxtail with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the oxtail to the pot and sear until browned on all sides. This may require two batches depending on the size of your pot.
- Once browned, remove the oxtails and set aside. In the same pot, add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Add additional olive oil if necessary. Sauté until the vegetables are browned.
- Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up the caramelized bits from the bottom.
- Once the wine has reduced by a third, add the beef broth, tomato paste, parsley, rosemary, and bay leaves.
- Return the oxtail to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Braise for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, rotating the oxtail occasionally. The meat should be tender and almost falling off the bones.
- Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the oxtail to a dish. Strain the braising liquid and return it to the pot. Reduce on medium heat until slightly thickened.
For the Agnolotti Filling:
- In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they turn a deep brown, which should take about 12 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the chopped braised oxtail and half a cup of chicken stock. Let it simmer until the mixture reduces and becomes sticky.
- Pour in the remaining chicken stock and continue cooking until the mixture thickens.
- Off the heat, stir in bone marrow (if using), parsley, and salt. Once the marrow melts into the mixture, transfer it to a food processor.
- While hot, puree the oxtail mixture until smooth. Incorporate the Parmigiano cheese and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Allow the filling to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a piping bag.
For the Ravioli Dough:
- On a clean work surface, combine flour and salt, forming a mound with a well in the center.
- In the well, gradually add the eggs, yolks, and olive oil. Gently whisk the eggs without breaking the walls of the flour.
- Incorporate the flour gradually, eventually kneading with your hands to form a stiff dough. Spritz with water if too dry.
- Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Forming the Agnolotti:
- Roll out the rested dough thinly.
- On a floured surface, cut the dough into two long strips (around 3 inches wide). Pipe the oxtail filling along one strip, leaving a small space between each portion.
- Mist the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling, pressing out air bubbles and sealing the edges.
- Using a pasta wheel, trim the long edge for a neat finish and then cut between each filling to create individual agnolotti.
Cooking the Agnolotti:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop the agnolotti into the boiling water.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until they rise to the surface and are al dente.
- Drain and serve with your preferred sauce or simply drizzled with some olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Notes
*Note: 3 1/2 pounds of oxtail was enough for ~3 cups of shredded meat (enough for one recipe of agnolotti).
*Heat the marrow bones in the oven just long enough to loosen the marrow such that you can scoop it out
- Prep Time: 75 min
- Cook Time: 230 min
- Category: Main, Pasta, Primi
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10 agnolotti
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 230mg
I have used your recipe as a model twice and love it so!!! My favorite homemade pasta so far although I turned it into capeletti ?