BEEF SHANK AND SAUSAGE RAGU WITH WHOLE GRAIN SPAGHETTI

As much as we love eating at old-school red-sauce joints, we’re craving the updated regional Italian cuisine we’re seeing at restaurants across the country. In this dish, instead of marinara, we’ve got a rich, meaty ragu (a staple in Bologna) made with flavorful bone-in beef shanks and hot Italian sausage. Hearty whole grain pasta is the perfect vehicle for the sauce (and it’s a great way to add nutritional value). The long-cooked sauce is the ideal thing to make on a lazy weekend and fills the house with the delicious aromas.

Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

Ragu
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 pounds hot Italian sausages, casings removed
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 pounds 1 1/2-inch-thick beef shanks with bone (about 3 pieces)
5 cups chopped onions (about 3 large)
2 - 28 ounce cans dice tomatoes in juice
1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
4 fresh bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Pasta
1 1/2 pounds multi-grain or whole grain spaghetti
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preparation:

Ragu
Preheat oven to 350F. Toast fennel seeds in small dry skillet over medium-low heat until slightly darker in color and very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large oven-proof pot over medium heat. Add sausage. Cook until brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot. Sprinkle beef shanks with salt and pepper. Add to pot and sauté until brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer shanks to bowl with sausage. Add onions to pot and sauté until brown and tender, scraping up browned bits, about 10 minutes.

Return shanks, sausage, and any accumulated juices to pot. Add tomatoes with juice, wine, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, crushed red pepper, and toasted fennel seeds. Bring to simmer.

Cover pot and place in oven. Braise until shanks are very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Transfer shanks to work surface. Cut meat off bones and dice. Discard bones. Tilt pot. Spoon off fat from surface of pan juices. Return diced shank meat to pot. Simmer until liquid is reduced enough to coat spoon, about 10 minutes. Season ragu to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Re-warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, before continuing.

Pasta
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl. Add oil and toss to coat. Add cheese and parsley; toss to coat. Season pasta with salt and pepper