Slow-Braised Veal Osso Buco alla Puttanesca
This Slow-Braised Veal Osso Buco alla Puttanesca is a show-stopping Italian dish that pairs tender, slow-braised veal with a tangy olive-and-caper sauce. The orecchiette soaks up every bit of the rich sauce, while garlicky rapini and lemon-parsley breadcrumbs add fresh, bright notes. Perfect for a special dinner party, but surprisingly doable at home!
Ingredients
For The Veal
- 4-5 Ontario veal shanks at least 1½ inches thick 450-500g each, grain-fed, tied with kitchen twine
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 796 mL
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives halved
- 2 tablespoon capers rinsed
- 2 anchovy fillets minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ cups veal or chicken stock
Orecchiette
- 400 g orecchiette
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- Pinch of chili flakes
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Lemon–Parsley Breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup panko
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small cloves garlic very finely minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes optional
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Garlicky Rapini
- 1 large bunch of rapini broccoli rabe
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Toasted breadcrumbs for sprinkling
Instructions
Brown the Veal
- Pat the veal shanks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a 5qt Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium-high heat. Sear shanks for 3–4 minutes per side until well browned; sear in batches. Transfer to a plate.
Build the Sauce
- Lower heat to medium. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, chili flakes, anchovies, and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables.
Deglaze
- Add white wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until reduced by half.
Add Remaining Ingredients
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, stock, olives, capers, oregano, and bay leaf. Nestle the veal shanks into the sauce so they are covered and partially submerged.
Braise
- Cover and transfer to a 325°F oven. Cook for 2 to 2½ hours, turning once, until the veal is fork tender and the sauce is rich and thickened.
- While the veal finishes, prepare the sides
Lemon–Parsley Breadcrumbs
- Warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the panko and toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, parsley, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. Cool on a plate so the crumbs stay crisp.
- Use to finish the orecchiette and sprinkle lightly over the rapini just before serving.
Garlicky Rapini
- Trim rapini stems. Blanch in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Heat olive oil in large skillet, cook garlic until pale gold. Add rapini and chili flakes and toss for 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs before serving.
Orecchiette
- Boil orecchiette in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
- In a skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked orecchiette and toss gently with a splash of pasta water and a pinch of salt. Stir in parsley and remove from heat.
- This creates a lightly seasoned, aromatic pasta base that will soak up the Puttanesca sauce beautifully.
For Serving
- Remove bay leaf, then taste and adjust seasoning. Remove the twine or butcher's elastic. Spoon orecchiette into shallow bowls or plates, place a veal shank on top, ladle Puttanesca sauce over, add rapini, and finish with breadcrumbs. Optional: add extra fried capers or shaved Parmigiano.
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Video
Notes
Tips, Substitutions & Serving Suggestions
- Tie the veal shanks: If your shanks didn’t come with butcher’s elastic like ours did, tie them with kitchen twine. (The elastic is safe for braising.) Twine helps the shank hold its shape and keeps the meat compact during cooking.
- Pasta Options: Orecchiette can be swapped for pappardelle or rigatoni.
- Puttanesca Sauce Variations: Add more anchovies for extra umami or reduce chili flakes for milder heat.
- Make Ahead: The veal can be braised a day ahead; reheat gently before serving.
- Serving Suggestion: Pair with a crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or a light red like Chianti.
- Storing leftovers: Cool the veal and sauce to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove to preserve tenderness.
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