The cooler weather calls for slow braises and hearty meals,such as this ragu made with beef short ribs. As it cooks,the meat becomes rich and unctuous,creating an intensely flavoured sauce. Here,I’ve chosen mezze maniche,a short,tubular pasta similar to rigatoni – but half the size – to stir through the ragu. Rigatoni and tagliatelle also work beautifully – or you could go with creamy polenta if you really want to dial up the comfort factor. Be sure to buy ribs that are well-marbled and meaty.