# Pasta Tasting Night: Short Rib Ragù Tagliatelle and Vegetable–Guanciale Cavatappi > Two small bowls make a good pasta night: broad ribbons wrapped in deep, savory short rib ragù, followed by cavatappi with crisp guanciale and plenty of winter greens. The second pasta stays light and glossy with pasta water, Parmesan, and lemon, giving a bright counterpoint to the slow-braised beef. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pasta-tasting-menu-leftover-short-rib-ragu-guanciale-veggie-cavatappi - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2026-02-22 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free ![Pasta Tasting Night: Short Rib Ragù Tagliatelle and Vegetable–Guanciale Cavatappi](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fcaee2b2adbb2dd2e.jpg) ## Leftover Short Rib Ragù Already-braised short ribs bring tenderness and depth without another long cook. Reducing their juices with a little tomato creates a sauce that clings to broad pasta rather than pooling beneath it. ### Ingredients - 12 oz cooked boneless braised short rib meat, with excess fat and connective tissue removed - 3/4 cup defatted short rib braising liquid, gluten-free - 1 tbsp olive oil - 1 small shallot, finely diced - 1 clove garlic, finely chopped - 1 tbsp tomato paste - 1/3 cup dry red wine - 1 small sprig rosemary - 1 tsp red wine vinegar, plus more to taste - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Pull the short rib into coarse strands, leaving some small, tender chunks. 2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1–2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly. 3. Add the wine and scrape up any browned tomato paste. Simmer until reduced by about half. 4. Add the beef, braising liquid, and rosemary. Cover partially and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat reaches 165°F throughout. 5. Remove the rosemary. Uncover and reduce as needed until the sauce is moist and spoonable, with no watery ring around it. Add the vinegar, then adjust salt and pepper. ### Notes - If the ribs are already in a finished ragù, reheat about 2 cups gently instead of building a second sauce. - If you have meat but no braising liquid, use unsalted gluten-free beef stock; reduce a little longer for body. - Taste before salting: reduced braising liquid can be quite concentrated. ## Tagliatelle for the Short Rib Ragù Broad ribbons support the shredded beef and give the first tasting bowl a generous, sauce-forward texture. ### Ingredients - 6 oz gluten-free tagliatelle - 1 tbsp unsalted butter - 2 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano - 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves - as needed salt for the pasta water ### Instructions 1. Cook the tagliatelle in gently boiling salted water according to the package directions, stopping just short of tender. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water before draining. 2. Transfer the pasta to the hot ragù. Add a splash of pasta water and toss gently over low heat for 30–60 seconds, until the ribbons are coated and fully tender. 3. Remove from the heat and fold in the butter and Parmesan. Add more pasta water by the tablespoon if the sauce feels heavy or tight. 4. Finish with parsley leaves just before serving. ### Notes - Gluten-free ribbons can break with vigorous tossing; lift and fold them with tongs. ## Clean-Out-the-Fridge Vegetable and Guanciale Cavatappi Rendered guanciale supplies the savory base, while vegetables keep the bowl lively and varied. Starchy pasta water and Parmesan emulsify the pork fat into a light coating without cream. ### Ingredients - 6 oz chickpea cavatappi, such as Banza, labeled gluten-free - 4 oz guanciale, cut into short batons - 1 small leek, white and pale-green parts thinly sliced and thoroughly washed - 1 small carrot, shaved into thin ribbons and cut into short lengths - 4 oz broccolini, stems thinly sliced and florets cut small - 4 oz baby spinach - 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes - 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest - 2 tsp lemon juice, plus more to taste - 1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Put the guanciale in a cold, wide skillet. Set over medium-low heat and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the edges turn golden. Transfer the crisp pieces to a plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet. 2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it lightly. Cook the cavatappi according to its package directions, checking early for doneness. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain. 3. Add the leek and carrot to the guanciale fat. Cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until the leek softens without browning. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds. 4. Add the broccolini and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover for 2 minutes, then uncover; the stems should be crisp-tender and the florets bright green. 5. Add the spinach and toss just until wilted. Add the drained cavatappi, half the guanciale, and 1/4 cup of pasta water. Toss over medium-low heat until the liquid lightly coats the pasta. 6. Remove from the heat. Add the Parmesan gradually while tossing, loosening with additional pasta water as needed. Fold in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and half the parsley. 7. Taste before adding salt. Finish with black pepper, the remaining guanciale, and the remaining parsley. ### Notes - Use vegetables in similar proportions: thinly sliced firm vegetables first, tender greens last. - Keep the finished sauce loose and glossy. If the cheese clumps, take the pan fully off the heat and stir in a little warm pasta water. - Guanciale renders its own cooking fat, so no additional searing fat is needed. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The ragù can wait over low heat while the vegetables and pasta finish. Preparing both sauces before draining the pasta keeps the two tasting bowls hot and properly coated. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Put two pots of pasta water on to heat. Shred the beef, chop the aromatics, and prepare all vegetables and garnishes. 2. 0:10 — Start the ragù. Begin rendering the guanciale in a separate wide skillet. 3. 0:20 — Cook the vegetables in the rendered fat. Keep the finished ragù at a gentle simmer, adding a splash of water if it tightens. 4. 0:25 — Start the two pastas, staggering them according to their package cooking times so they finish close together. 5. 0:35 — Reserve cooking water from each pot. Finish the tagliatelle in the ragù and the cavatappi in the vegetable skillet. 6. 0:40–0:45 — Add the off-heat butter, cheese, lemon, and herbs as directed. Divide between warmed tasting bowls and serve immediately. ## Plating Separate small bowls preserve the contrast between the deep, meat-rich ragù and the brighter vegetable pasta. ### Instructions 1. Warm eight small bowls, or serve each course in four bowls in succession. 2. Coil a modest portion of tagliatelle in each of four bowls and spoon the remaining short rib ragù over the ribbons. Finish with the parsley leaves. 3. Mound the cavatappi in the other bowls, keeping vegetables visible on top. Scatter the reserved crisp guanciale and parsley over each portion. 4. Serve the two pastas side by side or offer the vegetable pasta after the ragù as a brighter second taste. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects the pasta from absorbing all the sauce and helps the vegetables retain some texture. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours. Store unused ragù separately from uncoated pasta when possible. 2. Count storage time from the original short rib cook, not from this meal. Use refrigerated cooked beef within 3–4 days of that original cook, or freeze suitable portions promptly. 3. Use the vegetable cavatappi within 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water, then uncover and stir until hot throughout. 4. Reheat ragù or dressed short rib pasta to 165°F, adding water as needed to restore its consistency. Finish either pasta with fresh herbs and a little lemon only after reheating. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.