LeFarm's Spaghetti with Braised Veal Leg

On New Years eve we came across a a dish for Spaghetti with Braised Veal Leg on leFarm's dinner menu. My husband (A.K.A the braise-master) decided to sample the slow-cooked meat to compare it to his own braised meat explorations. The analysis proved positive. Bill Taibe's braise had kicked our "you know whats," and layered atop fresh spaghetti, the dish was richly comforting. When winter weather abounds, it's time to hunker down and get cooking.

Spaghetti with Braised Veal Leg

Ingredients:

Veal Sauce

• 4-5 lbs. Veal Shank (Leg)

• 1 Cup Olive Oil

• 1 Large Spanish Onion-Peeled and Diced

• 2 Medium Carrots-Chopped

• 3 Stalks of Celery-Chopped

• 1 Fennel Bulb-Diced

• ½ cup Peeled Garlic

• 1 Bottle White Wine

• ½ Cup Tomato Paste

• 5 Lbs. Crushed Tomatoes (Organic Canned)

• 2 Quarts Organic Chicken Stock

• ¼ Cup Fennel Seed (Toasted & Ground)

• Bouquet Garni  (Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Bay Leaf and 3 Star Anise wrapped in Cheesecloth)

• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Spaghetti

• 5 Whole Eggs

• 5 Yolks

• ¼ Cup Olive Oil

• 4 Cups “OO” Pasta Flour (AP Flour can be substituted)

• 2 Tablespoons Salt

• Pasta Maker with Spaghetti Attachment

Directions:

Veal Sauce

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

2. On stove top, heat ½ of the Olive Oil in pan (pan should have high sides and be large enough to hold the Veal Leg and sauce.

3. Season Leg heavily with Salt and Pepper.

4. Place Leg in heated oil and brown evenly on all sides.

5. While Veal is browning, grind Onions, Carrots, Celery, Fennel and Garlic in a food processor. (Vegetables should be pea-size).

6. After Veal is browned evenly, take out of pan and set aside to rest.

7. Strain oil from veal pan and add strained oil to remaining, unused olive oil and put oil mixture back into veal pan.

8. When oil is hot, add previously ground vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.

9. Add Ground Fennel Seed and Tomato Paste to Vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes.

10. Add White Wine and bring to boil.

11. Add Crushed Tomatoes, Chicken Stock and Bouquet Garni.

12. Bring to a boil and season to taste.

13. Place Veal into deep roasting pan and pour sauce over leg.

14. Place Veal Leg in oven and cook 3-4 hours. 

15. Meat is done when it falls off the bone.

16. Take Veal Leg out of sauce and allow to cool, separately.

17. Pour sauce into a separate pot and place on stove, bring to a simmer and skim oil and fat off of the top.

18. Season to taste.

19. Pull Veal off of bone, discarding sinew, fat, skin and cartilage

20. Add Cleaned Meat to Sauce

Spaghetti

1. Pour flour into bowl and make a “Well” with the flour.

2. Put all ingredients in “Well”.

3. Slowly incorporate ingredients together.

4. Form ingredients into dough and need for 10 minutes.

5. Allow to rest for 1-2 hours.

6. Cut into 4 Equal Parts.

7. Working with one section at a time, lightly flour pasta dough 

(Keep remaining sections covered under a damp cloth.)

1. Roll dough through Pasta Maker to make large one large sheet. Beginning at the #1 setting, slowly moving setting up until you reach #5 and dough is flattened into 4 long sheets.

1. Cut each sheet into 10 inch pieces.

2. Finish all dough.

3. Using the Spaghetti attachment, feed dough slowly through the Pasta Maker.

4. Toss with flour.

5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

6. Add pasta, when pasta begins to float, cook an additional minute or until tender. Strain.

7. Toss pasta with sauce. 

8. Garnish with chopped parsley, tarragon and fresh parmesan.

9. Top with toasted breadcrumbs. (Optional)