Forget those store bought cheese or veal ravioli that we see everywhere…Impress your guests with these homemade beef cheeks ravioli and be the star of the night! The veal stock in this recipe takes five hours to make, but is easily prepared ahead of time and can be frozen until needed. But don’t be intimidated — purchased veal stock also works well.
Ingredients
For the veal stock:
- •2-3 kilos (4-7 pounds) beef bones
- •2-3 large carrots, unpeeled, cut into large chunks
- •2-3 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
- •1-2 onions, unpeeled, halved
- •1 whole head garlic, halved crosswise
- •1 sprig fresh oregano
- •1 sprig fresh thyme
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) tomato paste
- •Salt and pepper, as needed
For the braised beef cheek stuffing:
- •2 carrots, finely diced
- •1 onion, finely diced
- •2 stalks celery, finely diced
- •2 cloves garlic
- •1 bay leaf
- •1 sprig thyme
- •1 sprig oregano
- •1 sprig rosemary
- •30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
- •4 beef cheeks
- •591 ml (2 1/2 cups) red wine
- •946 ml (4 cups) veal stock
- •15 ml (1 tablespoon) tomato paste
- •4-5 large portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
- •118 ml (1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
- •Salt and pepper, as needed
- •Grated parmesan cheese, for the topping
For the ravioli dough:
- •900 grams (31 ounces) all-purpose flour
- •Pinch of salt
- •9 large eggs
- •45 ml (3 tablespoons) vegetable or olive oil
Preparation
- For the veal stock: Preheat oven 232°C (450°F). On a baking sheet put the bones, pieces of carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Roast until the bones are a little burnt and the vegetables are browned, 15-20 minutes. Transfer the bones and vegetables to a pot, and add 4 liters (4.2 quarts) water, and the rosemary, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste. Simmer for 4 hours. Pass everything through a sieve and season with salt and pepper. Reserve for use with the ravioli.
For the braised veal cheek stuffing: Preheat oven to 149°C (300°F). In a large lidded casserole, combine the carrot, onions, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and rosemary; set aside.
In a large skillet over high heat, heat 15 ml (1 tablespon) oil until shimmering. Add the beef cheeks and sear until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer them to the baking dish. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Deglaze the pan with 473 ml (2 cups) of the wine, reducing it by half. Add veal stock and tomato paste, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add this liquid to the baking dish. Cover and cook until the meat is so tender it breaks with a fork, about 2 hours.
Once cooked, remove the meat (keep the cooking liquid) and shred it and let it cool. Pass the cooking liquid through a sieve to remove the vegetables and keep the liquid. Return the liquid to the pan and reduce a little to make it a little thicker; if you think there is not enough sauce, you can add a little veal stock. Adjust salt and pepper as need. Reserve to use it as a sauce on the ravioli.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 15 ml (1 tablespoon) olive oil and add the mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms begin to soften, then add the garlic and the remaining 118 ml (1/2 cup) red wine. Stir, letting the liquid evaporate as much as possible. Add the breadcrumbs and cook for one minute. Allow the mixture to cool and mix it with the shredded beef cheeks. Adjust salt and pepper as needed, and the stuffing is ready to use.
For the ravioli dough: Mound the flour on a work surface and sprinkle with salt. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and olive oil. Using a fork, beat the egg mixture, gradually drawing in more of the flour. As the flour is incorporated, sprinkle the dough with up to 45 ml (3 tablespoons) water, as needed to make a smooth cohesive dough.
Roll out the dough to make long, thin rectangles about 10 cm (4 inches) wide. Place a tablespoon of filling on the bottom half of the dough, 5 cm (2 inches) apart. Using a brush or your fingers, pat water all around the dough and between the stuffing. Fold the top half of the dough over the bottom half. Push all around the stuffing with your fingers to stick the dough well together and cut the ravioli.
To cook and serve: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and gently stir until they float to the top. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the ravioli. Taste one after 2 minutes and drain or continue cooking to taste. Serve with reserved sauce and grated parmesan cheese.