Braised Beef Shank Pasta

Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC).

To a large and heavy oven safe/cast iron pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When oil starts glistening and gets hot, add the beef shanks without crowding them. Brown on each side. Remove the beef shanks to a plate when browned. Work in batches, adding the rest of the olive oil as needed.

Turn heat to medium and add chopped onion, salt, pepper, and turmeric. Mix for about 2 minutes with a wooden spatula. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and use your wooden spatula to help deglaze the bottom of the pot.

Turn the heat off. Add the beef shanks back in (including the bones) with all its juices from the plate. Move the ingredients around in the pot to coat the beef shanks with the tomato sauce.

Add the water. The water should almost completely cover the beef shanks. Add a heavy and secure lid to the pot, and place it in the oven for 3 ½ hours. After 1 ½ hours, take the pot out and quickly make sure there’s still water in the pot so that your beef shanks do not burn. Add more water if necessary and place the lid back on. Put the pot back in the oven for the remaining time. The beef shanks should be very tender.

Once the beef shanks are ready, make the fettuccine pasta by boiling a large pot of water, adding plenty of salt, and adding in the pasta. Cook until al dente (they should still have a bit of a bite to them).

Remove the bones from the beef shank pot and enjoy the marrow with a fork and nothing else. You can also add the marrow back into the beef shanks if you prefer. Discard the bones.

Toss the pasta into the pot of beef shanks. Top with Parmesan cheese, and maybe some chopped parsley and some red chili flakes. Enjoy!