Dr Pepper Braised Short Rib Deep-Fried Ravioli with Barbecue Sauce
Makes 18-24 ravioli (depending on size, plus leftover short rib)
For the short ribs:
2 (3-pound) packages Fantasma's Finest Beef Short Ribs
All-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Vidalia onion, quartered
About 24 ounces Dr Pepper
For the pasta:
2 cups all-purpose or "00" flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
Water
Semolina, for dusting
Buttermilk, for wash
Whole-wheat panko, for coating
Vegetable oil, for frying
BBQ Sauce:
1/4 cup slow cooker au jus, strained through a fine-mesh strainer
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup Dr Pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
Garnish:
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley
For the ribs: Using a knife, cut short ribs into pieces. In a pie plate, sprinkle flour and whisk in salt and pepper. Place meat pieces in flour and coat. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear meat on all sides, place into a slow cooker.
When all the meat is seared and in the slow cooker, add onion and enough Dr Pepper to cover half to three-quarters full. Cook ribs for 6-8 hours.
When the meat falls off the bone, remove meat to cool and reserve liquid; shred the meat, removing any large globs of fat and strain the liquid. Place meat and au jus in separate containers with a lid and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove the layer of fat from the au jus and strain au jus again.
For the pasta: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine flour and salt. Add eggs and process until the dough forms a shaggy ball. If the dough is too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time; if the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time. When dough reaches desired consistency, remove, and knead for a few minutes. Wrap the dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to a day.
Remove the dough ball from the refrigerator and allow to warm slightly. With a sharp knife, divide the dough into four pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece into a disk. Set up pasta machine and run dough through the settings multiple times until you have flour sheets of dough. Place two sheets each of pasta sheets on two baking sheets with semolina.
If your pasta sheets are not perfectly rectangular, trim dough from top, bottom, and sides; you want flour sheets of the same width and height. Dot short rib filling about an inch apart across the dough. Lay the other sheet of dough over the tight and use your fingers to press dough around filling. Use a ravioli cutter to make 1- by 1-inch squares. Place finished ravioli on a clean baking sheet and dust with semolina. Repeat the process with remaining dough. You will have leftover filling. Wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a day.
To bread and fry ravioli: When ready to fry ravioli, pour buttermilk into a pie plate and panko breadcrumbs in another plate. Dip ravioli in buttermilk and then the breadcrumbs, pressing to help crumbs adhere; set aside on a clean baking tray.
Fill a deep pot or Dutch oven halfway with vegetable oil and heat on medium heat until the oil registers 325° F. on a deep fry thermometer. With a spatula, slide coated ravioli into the oil and allow to cook to a golden brown. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel lined plate.
To make the barbecue dipping sauce: In a saucepan over low heat, combine au jus, ketchup, brown sugar, Dr Pepper, soy sauce and ancho chile powder. Allow the mixture to cook over low heat until the sauce begins to thicken.
To serve: Garnish ravioli with shredded cheese and parsley, serve with dipping sauce. You will have extra shredded short rib meat; serving suggestions include over polenta, mashed potatoes, or in a gouda grilled cheese sandwich.
