She is a well-loved celebrity chef with years of culinary experience. Nthabiseng Ramaboa best known as Chef Nti is popular for her hearty, yet healthy street food that brings nostalgia. She recently created special festive dishes for the celebrity guests that invoke memories of love for their family & friends on The Festive Get-Together in The Life Artois. Here she shares her recipe for a Beef Ragù.

What is a Ragu?
A Ragù is a meat-based hearty sauce that is typically served with pasta. You can use either beef, pork, or game, or and cook on low heat in a braising liquid that is usually tomato or wine-based over a long period of time. Chef Nti shares with ZiMoja her favourite recipe for the signature dish.

THE RECIPE
Serves Six people

Ingredients:
500g Beef Brisket Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
500g Diced butternut squash - 1.5 Cups fresh chopped tomatoes
1/2 Yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil - Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Dried thyme
1/3 Cup pasta water reserved from cooked pasta

Beef Ragu pasta:
600g Pappardelle Pasta or Bucatini
½ Cup grated parmesan
Grated parmesan, ­nely chopped fresh herbs, etc

Instructions for Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce:
1. Preheat oven to 200 C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place cubed butternut squash, chopped tomatoes and chopped onion on the baking sheet.
3. Drizzle olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper, and thyme.
4. Mix to cover the vegetables evenly with oil and seasonings.
5. Bake at 200 C for 20 minutes.
6. While the veggies bake, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
7. Before you drain the cooked pasta reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water and place in a blender.
8. Take the cooked veggies hot from the oven and blend with the pasta water until a smooth sauce remains.

Instructions for Beef Ragu Pasta:
1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package directions.
2. Carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set aside.Carefully drain the pasta ?" do NOT rinse it!

Finish the short rib ragu sauce:
1. Meanwhile, as the pasta boils, bring the brisket ragu up to a simmer.
2. Stir in the butternut pasta sauce. Continue to simmer over low heat, stir

Short rib ragu pappardelle:
1. Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the beef ragu sauce, tossing to coat.
2. The beef ragu should evenly coat the pasta.
3. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the ragu needs to loosen up a little; add in an extra handful of parmesan if it needs to tighten up a little.
4. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to meld with &absorb some of the ragu

Serve: 1. Portion the short rib ragu pappardelle into individual pasta bowls, topping with additional grated parmesan, chopped fresh herbs as desired.Serve immediately.