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Penne Pasta with Oxtail and Fava Beans

Italian Mexican delicious pasta dish!

Quick answerMakes 6 servings, ready in 50 minutes, Italian cuisine.
By Jaron Kimhi··👁 483 views
Pasta with oxtail and fava beans
I really like long-cooked meat with pasta, any kind — it doesn't matter. So when I made oxtail stock the other day, adding some pasta to that great stock was a must. Oxtail has strong flavors, so our job is pretty easy here: keep the original beef flavors and add some vegetables, nothing to overpower the meat. I wanted to take it to the Mexican side — well, not real Mexican cooking, just some additional flavors to give it a Mexican twist. Adding corn and chili or jalapeño peppers will create a much spicier pasta dish and make it lighter than a regular meat sauce pasta. Pasta with oxtail and fava beans

Pasta with oxtail and fava beans - it sounds complicated but it's not

Whenever I have access to fresh fava beans I grab them with both hands. In spring they're abundant, but now, approaching summer, they'll disappear soon. If you've followed me this spring you probably know that fava beans are one of my favorite greens — I use them in all kinds of dishes like meatballs and Risotto. In this dish I used the fresh beans and cooked them with the pasta. The beans don't need more than the approximately 10 minutes that the penne needs. The preferred fava bean texture is a bit crunchy — plus, don't forget, they'll cook a bit more with the oxtail sauce. Make sure you're not cooking the fava beans with a pasta that takes 5–6 minutes, otherwise you'll need to cook them separately, and what's the fun in that? Pasta with oxtail and fava beans

When Mexico meets Italy

You can choose not to make this Penne Pasta with Oxtail and Fava Beans spicy, but I strongly recommend adding some chili peppers — habanero or jalapeño both work — for a bit more character to support the corn and parsley as the Mexican touch in the dish. Pasta with oxtail and fava beans The nice combination of Italian oxtail stock with the red wine acidity delivers a refreshing dish that'll make you wonder why there aren't Mexican-Italian restaurants out there. Pasta with oxtail and fava beans

Method

  1. 1

    cook the pasta and fava beans· 10 minutes

    In a large sauce pan, boil water and add the pasta and fava beans. Cook according to the pasta manufacturer’s instructions as long as it's about 10 minutes of cooking. Strain and keep aside.

    Pasta with oxtail and fava beansPasta with oxtail and fava beans
  2. 2

    cooking the sauce· 20 minutes

    in a large iron skillet over high heat, add the onion, chili pepper (or jalapeno) and olive oil, saute for 3 minutes, add the garlic and cook for another minute. Reduce heat to low, add the oxtail stock and wine, cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and reduces about 10-20% of its volume. Season with salt and pepper and add the pasta with fava beans. Toss in the corn and mix until incorporated. Remove from heat and add the parsley. Serve immediately.

    Pasta with oxtail and fava beansPasta with oxtail and fava beansPasta with oxtail and fava beansPasta with oxtail and fava beans
Recipe by

Jaron Kimhi

Jaron Kimhi — self-taught home cook from Tel Aviv, writing and cooking every recipe on this site himself. 20+ years of tinkering in the kitchen, leaning toward slow cooking, classic technique, and honest ingredients.

More recipes by Jaron →

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Categories
Pasta
Cuisines
ItalianMexican
Features
Spicymeat
Tags
fava beansmexican pastaoxtail

Questions & answers

Can I swap fava beans for something easier to find?
Sure — any tender bean works here, like edamame or butter beans. Just make sure they're peeled and ready to go before you start.
I don't have oxtail stock — what can I use instead?
Use any rich beef stock you have on hand and throw in some shredded braised beef if you've got it. The depth of flavor comes from that stock, so go for the good stuff.
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes — the recipe calls for short pasta, so any shape like rigatoni, fusilli, or farfalle will do the job. Avoid long pasta; it won't hold the chunky sauce as well.
What if I don't have an iron skillet?
Any heavy-bottomed pan that handles high heat works fine. A stainless steel or nonstick skillet does the job — just make sure it's large enough to toss all the pasta in at the end.
Can I use fresh jalapeño instead of a chili pepper?
Absolutely — the recipe actually mentions jalapeño as an alternative, so go for it. It gives you a similar kick with a slightly different flavor profile.