Sunday Supper: Slow-Cooker Tuscan Beef and White Bean Ragout

Serves 6.

Note: From "Half Baked Harvest Cookbook," by Tieghan Gerard.

• 2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes

• 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

• 1/2 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

• 2 tbsp. tomato paste

• 2 tsp. dried basil

• 2 tsp. dried oregano

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more for garnish

• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and leaves coarsely chopped

• 1 (14-oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 lb. pappardelle or other egg pasta

• 2 tbsp. salted butter

• Handful of fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish

• 8 oz. buffalo mozzarella or regular mozzarella, torn into pieces

Directions

Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, dried basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir. Add the short ribs.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. When the short ribs are falling off the bone, remove them from the sauce and let cool slightly, then shred the meat, discarding the bones.

Stir the kale and white beans into the sauce. Crank the heat up to high, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more. Stir in the shredded meat.