“Chocolate, the ‘food of the gods,’ conquered not just the candy shop, but also the kitchen.” – Riccardo Magni
Don’t make the mistake of thinking this rigatoni with dark cocoa and red wine short ribs is a chocolate-y or sweet pasta dish, it’s absolutely not. Not even close. Savory and enchanting? Absolutely.
I live in a part of New Jersey that is home to one of the world’s most famous chocolate makers. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the aroma of chocolate to blanket the entire town well into the wee hours of the morning. Since chocolate is literally in the air here – the constant reminder of it has inspired me to go beyond the sweet, dessert-like, recipes to create a savory recipe with all the feel-good comforts that winter beckons.
If you’ve never added dark cocoa to your savory tomato and wine-based recipes, you are in for a real treat!
If you are familiar with authentic Italian cuisine, cooking with cocoa is probably not foreign to you, the Italians have been doing it for centuries. The same with authentic Mexican fare, chocolate is a key ingredient in mole sauce.
Because the cocoa bean is quite bitter on its own, it is rightfully considered a spice (or, as referred to by the Farmer’s Almanac, a Sweetheart Spice) – though it is incredibly underrepresented in the kitchen other than when it is sweetened for desserts.
Dark, unsweetened, cocoa when combined with the robust flavors of beef broth, red wine, crushed tomatoes and set to braise for a few hours with seasoned short ribs, adds a delicate richness and depth of color, and perfectly balances out the acidity of the other ingredients.
I garnish pasta dish with a teaspoon of shavings of extra bittersweet cacao and it immediately melts into the silky tomato and wine ragu, almost disappearing completely when mixing in with the short ribs. It’s a quiet addition, its presence is subtle. I like to add the chocolate garnish right at the table, it’s always a conversation piece for those who have never had it before!
This savory dish is perfect for a cold winter’s night, along with a glass of your favorite red.
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Equipment
- Dutch or French oven 7-quart or larger
Ingredients
- 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes (with juices), whole or crushed canned is fine
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 oz chopped pancetta
- 3 lbs boneless short ribs
- Kosher salt, as needed
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup flour all-purpose, unbleached
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely grated
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp natural and/or Dutch blend cocoa powder, unsweetened recommened: Saco Brand
- 1 lb Rigatoni pasta
- 100% Cacao unsweetened chocolate bar, as garnish
- Grated local cheese with a hard and sharp profile or Parmigiano-Reggiano, as garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the tomatoes, with their juices. If the tomatoes are whole, crush the them lightly by hand or use a square-head potato masher. Set aside.
- Over medium heat, add the oil to a large 7-quart or larger pot, like a Dutch or French oven. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a bowl and set aside, leaving behind as much of the oil as possible.
- Meanwhile, trim away any excess fat from each rib taking care not to remove the silver-skin or the tough tissue that keeps the ribs together. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper. Dredge the ribs in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Add the onions to the pan along with the short ribs and cook until the ribs are brown on both sides and the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Move the ribs to the side of the pan and expose the hot spot, the center. Add the tomato paste and allow it to sit for a minute or two for the sugars to caramelize. Add the garlic, gently stir it into the paste until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the red wine, deglaze any brown bits that may have stuck to the bottom. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the pancetta, beef stock, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and cocoa powder. Give a gentle mix and drop in the bay leaf. Bring the contents to a full boil. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover with a fitted lid for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue a gentle simmer for another 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring only occasionally.
- During the last 20 minutes, bring a separate large pot of water to a rolling boil. Generously salt and add the pasta. Cook, until just shy of al dente, tender yet firm to the bite, according to the package directions. Reserve 2 cups (480 ml) of the pasta water before draining. Drain well.
- In the meantime, shred the meat in the pot (using two forks to pull the meat apart). Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.
- Add the pasta to the shredded meat, tossing gently to combine. Add only 1/4 cup (60 ml) of pasta water to the pot. Mix to combine. If more moisture is needed, add more of the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time, until desired consistency is reached. The consistency should be thick enough to remain hearty, yet have movement and not be pasty or sticky.
- Transfer the pasta and short ribs to serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with approximately 1 teaspoon of grated unsweetened 100% cacao shavings and the desired amount of grated cheese. Serve hot.
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