Cooking with Wine

Make the Beef
Preheat the oven to 325°F
Rub the beef shanks all over with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high to high heat until it just starts to smoke. Immediately add the beef shanks and sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the beef shanks to a plate and turn the heat to medium.
Next, add the carrot, celery, and onion and cook in the oil and rendered beef fat for about 3-4 more minutes. Pour a little red wine into the Dutch oven and deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the beef to the Dutch oven and nestle the shanks to the bottom. Add the remaining ingredients, including the rest of the wine. The beef should be almost covered. If not add a little water or beef stock.
Cover the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven. Check a couple of times to make sure the liquid isn’t evaporating completely. If it does, just add a little stock or water. Cook for a total of 3-4 hours or until the beef is very tender. There should still be enough liquid to cover the beef shanks by at least ⅓ by the end of the cooking time. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Remove the beef shanks to a cutting board when cooled (discard the vegetables and liquid). Remove the bones and any large chunks of connective tissue and fat. Chop the beef with a knife and set aside in a mixing bowl. To the beef, add the remaining filling ingredients and set aside. This can be made in advance, and the extra can be frozen for future use.

Make the Pasta Dough
Follow the instructions to make a double recipe of Multipurpose Pasta Dough and roll out into sheets to make ravioli.
Stuff the Ravioli
Fill each raviolo with enough of the filling mixture according to the size of ravioli you are making. Since this is a very rich ravioli dish, we prefer to do 2x2 inch ravioli, but making larger ravioli works here too. Seal the ravioli and set aside in a single layer on a lightly floured sheet tray. (Click HERE for a more detailed post on making ravioli).
Make the Sauce
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat until it starts to brown. Add the garlic for about 45 seconds until it is fragrant, but not browning. Turn the heat to low and add the juniper, rosemary, peppercorns, and wine. Cook for about 30 minutes on low heat or until there is about 4 tablespoons of liquid left in the pan.
Next, add the stock and stir. Strain the solids from the pan and return the liquid back to the saucepan. Cook the mixture down until there is about ¾ cup of liquid left in the pan (about 25-30 minutes).
Once reduced, stir in the balsamic vinegar and salt and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
To finish the sauce, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter – one piece at a time. The sauce should be silky and deep maroon in color. Taste and add salt if needed. This can be reheated VERY gently on low right before serving the ravioli if needed, but DO NOT bring to a boil or your sauce will break.
Cook the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and gently drop the ravioli into the pot. Gently cook until the pasta is al-dente (about 2-3 minutes). Gently remove with a spider or slotted spoon to a serving bowl or individual bowls/plates. Drizzle some sauce over the ravioli and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and thyme leaves (optional).