Instructions: Prepare oxtail ragu: In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add oxtail chunks and sautJ on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes. Add onions and garlic, mix well and sautJ 2 minutes. Squeeze tomatoes into coarse chunks with your hands and add them with their liquid. Stir in beef stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low. Simmer gently 5 to 6 hours, or until oxtail is tender. Let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove oxtail from liquid, cut meat and fat from bone and cut into small dice. Discard bones.

Spoon as much fat as possible from surface of sauce and return diced meat to pot. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight.

Prepare pinci: On a wooden work surface mix flour and semolina and form into a mound with a well. Break eggs into center and beat well. Gradually begin mixing in flour mixture to form a dough. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and parsley. Work pasta with your hands, kneading at least 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add a little more flour if dough is still sticky, but do not let it become too stiff. Wrap in wax paper and let rest, refrigerated, 1 hour. To roll out pinci, pinch off olive-size pieces of dough one at a time (meanwhile, cover pasta dough with wax paper) and roll between your hands to form an oval. On work surface, roll each oval with your hands into slender, long strands, 12- to 15-inches long. Leave them on work surface to dry slightly; make sure strands are not touching.

When ready to serve, gently reheat ragu and bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Add pinci and cook just until al dente, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander. Serve pasta in deep pasta bowls, pour sauce over and pass grated Parmesan.

Yield: 2 servings

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.