This dish is great as the cold weather begins to set in; stuffed pasta in a warm broth is like a hug from Nonna in a bowl. There is a lot of richness here so we top the soup with a vibrant horseradish gremolata and pair it with a cool climate Cabernet Franc to lighten things up.
Cab Franc checks a lot of boxes on my favourite varietal list. It generally comes in with higher acidity, manageable tannins, a funky and sometimes down right odd profile (which I live for!), and more times then not, it leaves me deep in thought about what I just enjoyed in my glass.
Above all though, it is VERY food friendly (especially with vegetables!) and is one of my favourite reds to create some interesting and at times, unexpected pairings.
Red Wine Braised Short Rib Cappelletti with Green Peppercorn Broth and Gremolata
Serves 6
2 cups red wine braised beef short rib, shredded (recipe on the blog)
1 bulb roasted garlic, peeled and mashed into a paste
1 small bunch thyme, chopped
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan
350g fresh pasta dough, rolled to 2mm thickness and cut into 3”x 3” squares (recipe on the blog)
8 cups beef stock or reserved short rib braising liquid
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. toasted breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. fresh horseradish, grated
2 tsp. lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste
For the pasta filling and pasta,
In a medium bowl mix together braised beef, garlic paste, chopped thyme and grated Parmesan. Season well with salt and black pepper.
To fill the cappelletti, place 1 tsp. of beef filling in the middle on each square of pasta.
Next, dip your finger in water and run it around the edges to just moisten the dough. Fold the dough over to form a triangle, be sure to seal from the filling outward to eliminate any air becoming trapped inside your pasta.
Bring the two corners of the triangle together and press firmly to finish the shape. The goal here is to get the overlapping corners of pasta back to roughly the same thickness (2mm) as the original sheet.
Place the finished cappelletti on a baking tray that has been dusted with semolina flour and cover with a kitchen towel.
For the broth,
Pour the beef stock or reserved braising liquid into a medium sauce-pot.
Bring to a simmer, then add in 2 tbsp. of green peppercorns.
Steep for 30 minutes; season to taste with salt and strain through a fine mesh sieve.
To make the gremolata,
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and store in a sealed container.
Keep refrigerated.
To finish the dish,
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Place the cappelletti into the pot and cook for roughly 5 minutes (until al dente). Be sure to stir the pot occasionally to prevent sticking.
When cooked remove the pasta with a slotted spoon and place directly into green peppercorn broth.
Top with gremolata before serving