Shredded Beef Ragù with Pesto Spaghetti Recipe

Ingredients

500g braising steak
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery sticks
3 garlic cloves
A handful of rosemary
400g tinned cherry tomatoes
400g chopped tomatoes
100g baby leaf spinach
400g spaghetti
60g sun dried tomato pesto
400ml water (on the hob)
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

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Method

1. Place a frying pan or casserole dish on the hob for 1-2 mins. When warm, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 braising steak (you can add both if your pan is large enough. Just take care not to overcrowd the pan or the steaks will steam rather than brown). Fry for 5 mins on each side, then lift into a bowl. Repeat with the remaining steak, if necessary.

2. While the beef browns, peel and finely chop the onion. Trim and finely dice the carrots (no need to peel) and celery. Peel and grate the garlic. From this point, follow the instructions for either the slow cooker or the hob method.

3. Slow cooker: Keep the pan you cooked the steaks in on the heat and add the onions, carrot and celery. Fry for 4 mins, stirring, to slightly soften them.

4. Add the garlic to the onions and fry for 1 min. Tip the onion mix into a 3½ ltr slow cooker along with the beef steaks. Drop in the rosemary sprigs and pour in both tins of tomatoes. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Gently stir everything together then pop the lid on the slow cooker.

5. Set the slow cooker to medium and cook the ragù for 6-7 hrs. For a faster dinner, set the slow cooker to high and cook for 5-6 hrs, or set to low and cook for 8-10 hrs.

6. When the beef has cooked for its desired time, carefully lift the steaks out of the slow cooker and onto a plate. Turn off the slow cooker. Discard the rosemary sprigs. Using a couple of forks, shred the meat into large chunks. Pop it back into the slow cooker. Roughly chop the baby leaf spinach and add it to the beef. Stir, then pop on the lid to keep it warm while you cook the spaghetti.

7. Bring a large pan of salted water to a bubble. Add the spaghetti. Cook for 8-10 mins till it’s soft with a slight bite. Drain the pasta, catching a mugful of the cooking water in a mug, and tip the spaghetti back into the pan. Stir in the pesto, adding pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce a little.

8. Divide the pesto-dressed spaghetti between warm plates. Serve topped with the beef ragù.

9. On the hob: Place the pan you cooked the beef in back on the hob. Add the onions, carrot and celery and cook gently for 6 mins, stirring, till softened and lightly coloured. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min.

10. Add the beef back to the pan. Drop in the rosemary and pour in both tins of tomatoes with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in 400ml water. Gently stir everything together then pop the lid on. Bring to a bubble then simmer for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally and adding more water if you need to.

11. When the beef has cooked for 2 hrs, carefully lift the steaks out of the pan and onto a plate. Turn off the heat. Discard the rosemary stalks. Using a couple of forks, shred the meat into large chunks. Roughly chop the baby spinach leaves. Pop the shredded beef back in the pan and add the spinach. Stir, then cover with the lid to keep it warm while you cook the spaghetti.

12. Pop a large pan of salted water on the heat and bring to a bubble. Add the spaghetti and cook it for 8-10 mins till the pasta is soft with a slight bite. Drain the spaghetti, catching a mugful of the cooking water in a mug and tip the spaghetti back into the pan. Stir in the pesto, adding some pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce.

13. Divide the pesto-dressed spaghetti between warm plates. Serve topped with plenty of the beef ragù.