Tagliatelle with beef ragout, cocoa beans and bay leaf

A Montepulciano with character, but not over-extracted, is exactly what is needed for such a contemporary dish.

Tagliatelle with beef ragout, cocoa beans and bay leaf has an important but elegant texture:

• beef ragout gives depth and succulence,
• bitter cocoa introduces a dark, slightly tannic and spicy note,
• Bay leaf works on the aromatic register,
• Parmesan and mantecatura round out,
• lemon zest brings a fresh vibrancy that lightens the dish.

Illuminati’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Ilico 2022 tunes in on several levels:

• the softness and fullness of the sip effortlessly accompany the richness of the ragout;
• velvety tannins dialogue nicely with the fattiness of the meat and butter, without stiffening;
• notes of black cherry, dark cherry, and maraschino cherry recall by contrast the bitter cocoa, creating a refined interplay between fruit sweetness and gastronomic bitterness;
• the wine’s saline vein and tension hold up to the complexity of the dish and pick up the final citrusy flicker.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

For the dough:

• 250 g “00” flour
• 250 g of durum wheat semolina
• 150 g egg yolks (i.e., the yolks of 8 medium eggs)
• 10 g of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste.

For the beef ragout:

• 220 g of beef (Rosetta), cut into cubes
• 4 shallots finely chopped
• 45 g butter
• Salt to taste.

Finish and flavors:

• 1 tablespoon of cocoa grué (crushed cocoa beans)
• 6 bay leaf
• 15 g of Parmesan cheese
• Lemon peel (to taste)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Proceedings

Preparing fresh pasta

Combine flour, semolina, egg yolks, oil and a pinch of salt. Knead until smooth and homogeneous. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours, then roll it out and cut it into noodles about 1 cm wide. Form floured dough nests, cover with a tea towel.

Preparation of the ragout

Wilt the chopped shallots in a saucepan with a drizzle of oil. Add the salted meat and brown until all the water evaporates. Transfer the meat to a plate with the butter and a little water; bake at 180°C for 12 minutes, stir and continue cooking for another 12 minutes.

Preparation of bay leaf powder

Dry bay leaf at 55°C overnight. Finely chop and sieve to a fine powder.

Dish composition

Cook the noodles in plenty of salted water. Drain them al dente and toss them in a pan with the meat sauce and a ladle of cooking water. Top with Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Plate by forming a nest of noodles. Top with cocoa beans and a sprinkling of bay leaf powder.

In the glass, chosen by Stefania Vinciguerra:

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Ilico 2022 Illuminati

Bright and very intense garnet ruby. Ethereal and fruity nose, with hints of black cherry, dark cherry, maraschino cherry and hints of spice. Full-bodied and taut, saline, excellently bodied, soft, warm, supple, with well-melted and velvety tannins.

Production area.: the Abruzzi side of the Tronto Valley and the Teramo Hills, where the climate is mitigated by the Adriatic Sea and sheltered by the Gran Sasso mountain range.

Grape varieties: 100% Montepulciano. Vineyards are trained with the Abruzzi pergola system 3m x 3m and thus about 1,100 vines per hectare, and are all on hilly slopes.

Harvest: The harvest usually takes place in the first ten days of October, after careful selection of the grapes.

Production processes: The grapes are destemmed, crushed and vinified according to the traditional “red” method with a long maceration of the skins in stainless steel wine makers at a controlled temperature of 28°C. Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is placed to age in 25 hl Slavonian oak barrels for a period of about 12 months, after which it is bottled. This is followed by bottle aging for 8-10 months before going on sale.

Alcohol content: 13.50 % vol

Serving temperature: 16-18°C.

Recommended pairings.: roasted red meats, braised meats, game, noble poultry, semi-seasoned cheeses; ideal with lamb and kid meat.