Pasta With Short Ribs
by Deborah Mele, http://www.italianfoodforever.com

Slow cooking beef short ribs in red wine, tomatoes and other vegetables creates a delicious sauce that is perfect over polenta, fresh pasta, or a short tubular dried pasta. Once the ribs are meltingly tender, you simply remove the meat from the bones and mix it into the sauce. This sauce could also be made using a slow cooker if you prefer. Choose meaty short ribs rather than ones with too much fat for the best results. This sauce also freezes well if you have any leftover. 

4 to 6 meaty short beef ribs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
salt & pepper
red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, marjoram, pinch of rosemary, pinch fennel seed)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

To Serve:
Pasta of choice (fresh pasta, or a short tubular dried pasta is best), or polenta, or egg noodles
Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a heavy oven proof pan, heat the olive oil and brown the ribs well on all sides. Remove the ribs, and drain off all but a couple of teaspoons of fat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic, and cook until translucent. Add the wine and cook over high heat until it is reduced by more than half. Add the Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and tomatoes. Mix well, and add the ribs back into the pan.

Cover, and cook for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the ribs to a cutting board, and cut the meat away from the bone and connective tissue. Chop the meat finely and return it to the pan. Add the fresh parsley and mix well. Cook your pasta of choice until it is al dente. Drain and add a couple of scoops of warm sauce to the pasta and stir. Serve the pasta with an extra scoop of sauce on top and pass the cheese.

Serves 4 to 6