Semolina Gnocchi With Oxtail Ragù Recipes

SEMOLINA GNOCCHI WITH OXTAIL RAGù

Steps:

• For ragù:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Sprinkle oxtails with salt and pepper, then flour. Heat 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 sauté 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 ragù with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill. Rewarm before continuing.
• For gnocchi:
• Butter 13x9x2-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 Parmesan. 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 15x10x2- inch glass baking dish. Using 1 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out as many semolina gnocchi as possible; arrange in prepared dish. Top with warm ragù sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

OXTAIL RAGù WITH SEMOLINA GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Ragù:
• Toss oxtails, flour, pepper, 2 Tbsp. or 1 Tbsp. salt in a large bowl until oxtails are evenly coated. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Working in batches, cook oxtails in a single layer, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 15-20 minutes. Transfer oxtails to a plate as they're done.
• Cook onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and rosemary in same pot, stirring often, until vegetables are browned around edges, 10-15 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes, vinegar, and honey, stirring and scraping up browned bits; bring to a boil. Season with several generous pinches of salt and return oxtails to pot. Pour in water just to cover oxtails; bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook, reducing heat as needed to keep at a bare simmer, until meat is falling off the bone, 3-3 1/2 hours. Let cool; cover and chill at least 12 hours.
• Gnocchi and assembly:
• Line a 13x9" baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on 2 sides. Bring milk, butter, and several pinches of salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium. Gradually whisk in semolina and cook, whisking, until very thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; add 1 cup Parmesan and whisk until smooth. Whisk in egg yolk and scrape gnocchi mixture into prepared pan; smooth top. Cover and chill until set, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Meanwhile, remove ragù from fridge and skim fat from surface. Warm ragù over low until heated through, then transfer oxtails to a plate. Increase heat to medium and bring braising liquid to a simmer. Cook until reduced to the consistency of gravy, 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Pick meat from bones and shred into small pieces. Return meat to ragù; discard bones. Transfer 2 cups ragù to an airtight container and save for later. Cover pot; keep remaining ragù warm over low heat.
• Turn out gnocchi mixture onto a clean surface and remove parchment paper; slice into about 1" squares.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add half of gnocchi to skillet, arrange in a single layer, and cook, undisturbed, until browned and crisp underneath, about 3 minutes. Toss to turn and cook until other side is browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Spoon into pot with ragù. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. Gently toss gnocchi in ragù; season with more salt if needed. Divide among bowls; top with parsley and more Parmesan.
• Do Ahead
• Ragù can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill, or freeze up to 4 weeks.