Ragout on Pappardelle

Enjoy meltingly tender beef on top of cooked pappardelle and sprinkled with thyme leaves. Serves 4 Prep 20 mins Cook 2 hours 30 mins

600g Quality Mark diced beef

2 tbsp seasoned flour

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 cup red wine (optional)

1 cup beef stock,

or 2 cups if not using red wine bouquet garni (see tip) strip of pared orange rind

To serve

cooked pappardelle

2 tsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Roll the beef in the seasoned flour.

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a dash of oil, then, in batches, add the beef and brown on both sides, transferring to a casserole dish as you go.

Add another dash of oil into the pan and add the onion and carrot. Cook until the vegetables are lightly golden. Pour in the red wine and allow to bubble up, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the beef stock, bouquet garni and orange rind. Bring just up to the boil, then pour over the beef in the casserole dish. The liquid should just cover the beef.

Cover the beef with baking paper cut to fit and the lid. Place in the oven and cook for 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the beef is meltingly tender. Remove the bouquet garni and rind.

Serve with cooked pappardelle and sprinkle with the thyme leaves.

Tip For the bouquet garni you will need 1 bay leaf, 2-3 sprigs thyme and 1-2 parsley stalks, tie together with kitchen string for ease of removal.