The indulgent dinner. Uses the braised short rib from Lunch 3 — shredded and sauced in its own reduced braising liquid. Pasta and greens are always fresh. Embrace the richness.
Active~20 min
HoldsRagu 4–5 days · pasta day-of
DifficultyEasy (uses batch rib)
Per Serving45P · 36C · 21F · 513 kcal
Servings
Ragu scales from the short rib batch. Pasta always fresh — 5 min.
Ingredients
Ragu (from batch)
Braised short rib, shredded
Braising liquid
Pasta (day-of)
Fresh pappardelle (or dried egg pasta)
Charred Greens
Lacinato kale or mustard greens
Garlic cloves, sliced
Olive oil
Red chili flake
Salt
Finish
Parmesan (optional)
Method
1
Make the Ragu
Take the braised short rib from the fridge. Remove any bones. Using two forks or your hands, shred the meat into rough strips — some larger chunks are fine. Pour the braising liquid into a wide pan and reduce over medium-high heat until it's syrupy and coats a spoon, about 8–10 min. Add the shredded rib, toss to coat, and warm through. Season.
8–10 min reductionDon't reduce the braising liquid all the way to a glaze — you want it saucy enough to coat the pasta. Pull it when it's glossy and thick but still pourable.
2
Cook Pasta
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil — it should taste like mild seawater. Cook fresh pappardelle 2–3 min until just al dente. Dried egg pasta takes 8–10 min. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining. Do not rinse. Drain, add immediately to the ragu pan.
2–3 min fresh / 8–10 min dried
3
Finish Pasta in Ragu
Add pasta to the ragu pan over medium heat. Toss vigorously for 60–90 seconds, adding pasta water splash by splash until the sauce clings to every strand and the pasta is glossy. The starchy pasta water emulsifies the sauce — don't skip it. Season, taste, adjust.
60–90 sec tossing
4
Char Greens
While the pasta finishes, tear the greens into bite-sized pieces. Get a separate pan ripping hot. Add oil, then garlic and chili — cook 20 seconds. Add greens in batches, tossing constantly until wilted and some edges char, 4–5 min. Season with salt. They should have texture, not be completely soft.
4–5 min high heat
5
Plate
Pile the ragu pasta in the center of a wide bowl. Charred greens on the side. Finish with a few shavings or a tablespoon of Parmesan if using. Don't be shy with the portion size — this is the indulgent dinner.
Batch & Storage
Share the BraiseThis recipe uses the same short rib batch as Lunch 3. When you braise the rib Sunday, cook enough for both: ~5oz shredded per Dinner 4 serving + ~5oz for Lunch 3. A 3-lb rack of short ribs yields roughly 6–8 portions depending on bone ratio.
Pasta RuleNever batch cooked pasta in sauce — it absorbs the liquid overnight and turns to mush. Cook pappardelle fresh each time. It takes 3 minutes. The ragu, however, holds 4–5 days and is better by day 2.
GreensLacinato kale holds slightly better than mustard greens — it doesn't wilt as aggressively. Either works. Always char fresh — pre-cooked greens go slimy in the fridge.