Beef cheek crockpot ragu with pappardelle

For that 5 per cent magic add ½ tsp green peppercorns for a little something extra just to spice it up.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 6 hours

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely sliced

1 large carrot, finely diced

2 stalks of celery, finely diced

2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 kg beef cheeks

½ cup red wine

1 ½ cup beef stock

½ tsp green peppercorns (optional) 2 tsp cornflour

500g dried pappardelle Parmesan, to serve

Finely chopped parsley, to serve 1 Prepare your crockpot (slow cooker) or preheat oven to 140C and get a large casserole dish.

2 Heat the 2 Tbsp olive oil in a fry pan; add the onion, carrot, celery and thyme, cook for 10 mins or till the mixture is soft but not coloured, add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Pour mixture into the crockpot.

3 Keep the same pan on the heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sear the beef cheeks on all sides to brown. Place the beef cheeks into the crockpot. 4 Pour the red wine into the frypan to deglaze then add the beef stock. Bring to the boil then pour over the beef checks. Season with salt and pepper (and/or ½ tsp green peppercorns if using).

5 Cook the beef cheeks in the crockpot for 6 hours (or for 4 hours in a conventional oven). 6 When the beef cheeks are cooked, remove them from the crockpot and set aside.

7 Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan, skim fat from the top and bring to the boil.

8 Mix the cornflour with 2 Tbsp of water and stir through the cooking liquid to thicken the sauce.

9 Shred the beef cheeks and return to the sauce, mixing to combine. Season to taste.

10 Cook the pappardelle following the packet instructions in a large saucepan of well-salted boiling water till just cooked — al dente. Drain and drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil. 11 Reheat the beef cheek ragu, portion the pappardelle into four pasta bowls, then top with the ragu, sprinkle over a little chopped parsley and parmesan shards if desired.