Italian Beef Pasta

Those of you that live near Chicago know what I am talking about when I say that Italian beef is probably the best thing ever. Down here in Kentucky, you can't find Italian beef ANYWHERE!! So I generally make my own or stock up when I visit Illinois.

Last time I drove up to Illinois I got 5 pounds of beef from Portillos and all of the fixings. The bread doesn't last forever (sadly) and there is no near substitute for the bread down here. So when I have 3 pounds of beef in my freezer, I need to do something about it.

*Usually* I make my own beef for this recipe, which is step one. It takes several hours for good home made Italian beef. I cheated this time and used the beef from Portillo's. I will post the whole recipe in the wrap-up.

You will need pasta of your choice for this recipe. I made ziti and gluten free linguine in separate pots. The noodles can be made ahead of time or during the cooking process. 

So, at this point I have noodles and beef. I like to saute some green peppers and onions in a pan until they are just starting to sweat. If you like green peppers and onions, slice them into strips, throw them in a HOT pan with about a tablespoon of HOT olive oil, and salt and pepper them. Once they are cooked to your liking, remove them from the pan and set aside for a delightful pasta topper.

So now you want to make the sauce. The sauce is delicious and cheesy. I like to make it in the same pan I used for the peppers and onions. This gives it a little more flavor. You start off your sauce by making a roux. This is equal parts butter and flour. (I use gluten free flour. You can use corn starch, just half the amount of corn starch.) Allow the butter to melt, throw in the flour, and whisk!! Don't let the roux get brown, that will make your cheese sauce look very unappetizing.

The next part is my favorite. Here is where cooking gets fun. Physics and chemistry come into play...but I am a huge geek and appreciate things like that. Once your roux is made, it will be like a thick goo. You will need to add milk to the roux, which will make for a lumpy mess. Don't worry, just keep whisking! The lumps will disappear as the milk warms up and you will have a velvety base for your cheese sauce.

Here is where I like to add the spices, but it is up to you. If you have never made a cheese sauce before, add the seasoning at the end. I crushed in a clove of garlic, added salt, pepper, and a tiny dash of nutmeg. Then I added cheese. I like to use Asiago, Parmesan, Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Provolone. You can add whatever you like, but a white Italian cheese would work the best for this dish. **Keep in mind, if you are going to use the preshredded stuff, you will need to add much more salt to your sauce. Those cheeses are not that flavorful. Stir in the cheese, throw in some fresh parsley, and your sauce will be done! JUST KEEP WHISKING and you will be in good shape. Also, don't let your stove get too hot. I would say a medium heat is ok as long as you keep an eye on it. If you are not sure, go low and slow. I have no actual recipe for this, just follow the gyst and you will get it!

 

So at this point my pasta and sauce would be all ready, so I can just add the beef and be done. Notice I keep everything separate. This is for my gluten free-ers. You can throw the pasta back in the sauce if you want, you don't have to be as OCD as me!

If you are using beef from the deli, or if you are lucky enough to have beef from Portillo's, now would be the time to warm it up. Follow the directions for the beef you are using, or if you are using deli meat, get the rarest beef you can, slice it super thin, and warm it for 30 seconds in a pot of warm beef stock.

Now you can plate this delicious dinner! We usually do the pasta on the bottom, ladle on some sauce, add the beef (with some juice, yum!) and top with the peppers and onions.

If you want to make your own Italian beef, here is my best recipe. I don't really ever measure stuff when it comes to the crock pot, so sorry!

3-5 pound beef roast of your choice (the better the beef and/or cut, the better your finished product will be)
Large onion
3 cloves garlic
Large green pepper
Italian seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Beef Stock
Red Wine
Worcestershire Sauce
2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper the beef. Put this in the crock pot. Add your beef stock. (I usually use whatever I have in the freezer. I save the juices and freeze for another use) Shake in some Worchestershire sauce, pour in some red wine, and top with the veggies and spices. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the beef, and use this to top your pasta.