Ingredients:
1 lb boneless beef chuck-eye roast, cut into 4 pieces and trimmed of fat
kosher salt
pepper
2 oz. pancetta, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 oz. salami, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 small carrot, peeled, and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 small rib celery, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 1/2 lbs onions, halved and cut into 1" pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 C dry white wine
2 Tbsp minced fresh marjoram (or oregano)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb rigatoni
2 C water
1 oz. Romano cheese, grated, plus extra for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 F degrees.
Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Process pancetta and salami, in a food processor, until ground into a paste (about 30 seconds). Add carrot, garlic, and celery. Process an additional 30 seconds.
Transfer paste to a Dutch oven and set aside.
Do not clean processor bowl.
Pulse onions in the processor, in two batches, until they form 1/8-1/4" pieces.
Cook pancetta mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fat is rendered and a
fond begins to form on the bottom of the pot (about 5 minutes).
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until browned (about 90 seconds).
Stir in water. Scrape up any fond on the bottom of pot.
Stir in onions and bring to a boil.
Stir in 1/2 C wine, parsley, and 1 Tbsp marjoram (or oregano).
Add beef and submerge into onions.
Cook, uncovered, until beef is tender (about 2 to 2 1/2 hours).
Transfer beef to a cutting board.
Place the Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is almost dry.
Stir in remaining 1/2 C wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Use two forks to shred the beef into bite-size pieces. Stir beef, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1 Tbsp marjoram, into sauce.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, in a large pot.
Add rigatoni and 2 Tbsp salt.
Cook, stirring often, until just al dente.
Drain and add to the sauce.
Add Romano cheese and stir vigorously, over low heat, until sauce is slightly thickened, and rigatoni is fully tender (1 to 2 minutes).
Serve, garnishing with extra Romano cheese.
