In this recipe, white meats meet aromatic herbs, wild fennel, and the roundness of milk, while Averbode beer adds depth and a delicate floral bouquet that ties all the flavors together.
A slow and enveloping preparation, perfect for those who love to cook calmly and discover how beer can become a protagonist in the kitchen too 🍝
INGREDIENTS
Egg Pasta (classic)
- 300g flour
- 3 eggs
Spinach Pasta
- 400g flour
- 3 eggs
- 50g cooked and pureed spinach
Ragù
- 600g rabbit, in pieces
- 600g pork neck (capocollo)
- 1 Averbode beer, 0.75L
- 1 leek
- 2 carrots
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 wild fennel bulb
- Thyme, sage, and bay leaf to taste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 400ml milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese to taste
- Chicken broth (optional)
RAGÙ PREPARATION
1️⃣ Cut the meat into rather large pieces, season with salt and pepper, then brown it in a large pot with a drizzle of oil until evenly golden.
2️⃣ Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: cut the leek, carrots, and celery into large pieces. Remove the meat from the pot and sauté the vegetables in the same cooking fat to capture all the flavors.
3️⃣ Add a bouquet of thyme, sage, and bay leaf, and also add the wild fennel. Deglaze the pot with Averbode beer, allowing the alcohol to evaporate slightly.
4️⃣ Return the meat to the pot, add the milk, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over very low heat for about 3 hours, until the meat is tender and shreds easily. If necessary, add a little chicken broth.
5️⃣ Cook the "straw and hay" fettuccine, toss them with the ragù, and finish with grated Parmesan cheese.
PASTA PREPARATION
1️⃣ Arrange the flour in a mound and add the eggs to the center. Begin to work the dough, quickly incorporating the two ingredients until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
2️⃣ Knead for at least 10 minutes, until it becomes elastic and firm. Once ready, let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3️⃣ Roll out the dough first with a rolling pin and then with a pasta machine, making a few reinforcing folds to give the dough more structure.
4️⃣ Roll it out to the second to last thickness setting and cut the pasta strips (well-floured) about 1 cm wide.
5️⃣ Let the pasta dry slightly before cooking.
Serve the dish with a glass of Averbode: its floral aromas and elegant structure enhance the sweetness of the meats and make the ragù even more harmonious.
