Penne Pasta with Simple Beef Neck Sauce

This recipe does take a long time, but requires very little effort, and you'll be rewarded with a wonderful, richly-flavored sauce. The hardest thing will be getting some neck bones, but a quick conversation with your friendly neighborhood butcher should be all you need. You can use any prepared tomato-based pasta sauce in place of the tomato sauce, if desired.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 7 hr
• Total Time: 7 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 243 Calories

Ingredients

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 1 cup water, or more as needed
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or to taste
• 3 pounds beef neck bones
• 3 cups tomato sauce, or more to taste
• 1 pound penne pasta, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread neck bones and onions out in the bottom of a roasting pan.

Step 2

Roast in the preheated oven until bones are browned and caramelized, 45 minutes.

Step 3

Combine beef and onions, tomato sauce, and water in a large pot; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer, skimming fat and adding water as needed, until meat is falling off the bones, about 6 hours.

Step 4

Stir parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and ground black pepper into tomato sauce mixture; simmer until flavors combine, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 5

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.

Step 6

Stir penne and 1/2 of the sauce together in a bowl with some of the Parmesan cheese. Spoon into bowls and top with remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese.