Pappardelle With Pork Ragu

I made another hearty Italian meal during the week to combat the chilly autumn night. This recipe is very similar to the wild rabbit ragu I made last year, if you are not too comfortable dealing with rabbit this will be a perfect alternative. And if you are not a pork eater or want a halal version, simply replace the pork with lamb using the same cut and omit the red wine. Have a great weekend and happy cooking!

serves 6 to 8 as a one dish meal
you'll need;
1.8 kg of pork shoulder, cut into large pieces
3 brown onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 litre of pasatta
400 ml of crushed tomatoes
2 cups of red wine
2 sprigs of rosemary
a small bunch of thyme
salt and pepper to taste
cooked pappardelle to serve
chopped parsley to serve
grated parmesan to serve
olive oil for cooking

Brown pork pieces with a little olive oil in batches and set aside.

Saute garlic and onion until soften then add in the pasatta. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes before returning the pork to the pan. Add herbs, red wine and seasonings, cover and simmer until pork is very tender (~1.5 - 2 hours).

Remove pork from the pot and shred into large pieces when cool enough to handle.

Return shredded pork to the pan and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Check for seasonings.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pappardelle until al dente. Drain well.

Divide pasta among bowls and top with a generous amount of the delicious pork ragu. Serve with grated parmesan and some chopped parsley.