Tagliatelle with beef ragout, cocoa beans and bay leaf

An authentic homage to Tuscan cuisine, reinterpreted with a bold contemporary look: Tagliatelle with beef ragout, cocoa beans and bay leaves.

The contrast between the fresh pasta, rough and full-bodied, and the enveloping sauce creates a perfect harmony, enriched by the mantecatura with Parmigiano Reggiano, which gives depth and roundness to the palate. The final touch is the lemon zest, which brings freshness and liveliness, enhancing every single nuance of this dish designed to leave its mark.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

For the dough: 250 g “00” flour; 250 g durum wheat semolina; 150 g egg yolks (about 8 eggs); 10 g extra virgin olive oil; Salt to taste.

For the beef ragout: 220 g beef (Rosetta), diced; 4 shallots finely chopped; 45 g butter; Salt to taste.

Finishing and flavorings: 1 tablespoon cocoa grué (crushed cocoa beans); 6 bay leaves; 15 g Parmesan cheese; Lemon zest (to taste); Extra virgin olive oil

Procedure:

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.

Ragu preparation: 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 leaves 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 chalice:

(Edited by Stefania Vinciguerra)

Pieve Sant’Albino Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigna Poggio Sant’Enrico Grande 2021 Carpineto

Intense ruby garnet color. Complex nose, spices like clove, charcoal, cypress drupes, then red and black fruits. Dense on the palate, balanced, enveloping, with very dense tannins, juicy, flavorful, good finish just salty.

Production area: the vineyard “Poggio Sant’Enrico Grande” owned, asituated in the Pieve di Sant’Albino in the territory of Montepulciano at an altitude of 300-350 meters above sea level. Southern slope exposure, gently sloping. Frequent sediments of blue-gray clays interspersed with sands, deep hydromorphy are found in the soil.

Grape varieties: 100% Sangiovese, bilateral spurred cordon training system.

Trend of the 2021 vintage: the seasonal trend has been decidedly unique, both in terms of rainfall, which has reached historic lows, and in terms of above-average temperatures since the spring months. The summer was characterized by the complete absence of rainfall, but the soil water reserves made it possible to avoid plant stress. In addition, from the end of August, temperatures, while remaining fairly high during the day, dropped significantly at night times. This important temperature range allowed an optimal completion of the ripening of the grapes. All the characteristics, such as good structure and interesting aromatic profile that undermine an excellent vintage.

Production processes: vinification conducted by native yeasts in temperature-controlled (25-30°C) steel tanks in order to preserve the typical Sangiovese bouquet. Maceration lasted 15-18 days. Maturation In wooden barrels of different capacities for more than 20 months.

Alcohol content: 14.9% vol.

Serving temperature: 18°C.