A Rich and Simple Ragout

 

This week we have a classic ragout for you - seething with pork and red wine, rosemary, thyme plus a hint of cinnamon quill and star anise.

While you could pile it atop a pillowy polenta or perhaps potato, we say do like we do at Earl and swish it through pasta-of-the-moment, mafaldine.

Disclaimer - this dish requires three hours of simmering – but it’s mostly hands-off, making for an easy, yet impressive, main!

Pork Ragout with Mafaldine Pasta

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 4 hours

 
 

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil, for cooking

2 red capsicums, roughly chopped

1 brown onion, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 bunch rosemary, leaves picked

1 bunch thyme, leaves picked

1 cinnamon quill

2 star anise

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp tomato paste

500ml red wine

2 tins chopped tomatoes

Salt, for seasoning

1kg pork shoulder, boned and skin off

400g mafaldine pasta (fresh or dried is fine)

Parmesan, to serve

METHOD

  1. In a wide pot, add olive oil to cover the base, add capsicums, onions and garlic and saute over medium heat until soft and lightly coloured.

  2. Add the herbs, spices and bay leaf and saute for 15 minutes, then add tomato paste and cook out until paste has thickened.

  3. Deglaze with red wine and reduce until alcohol has cooked out, by roughly half. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt.

  4. Place the pork shoulder in sauce and cover with a lid. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours.

  5. Allow sauce to cool, then remove pork shoulder. Using two forks, shred pork and place the shredded pork back into the sauce.

  6. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, then toss the pasta through the sauce, and serve with grated parmesan.

 
THOMAS NEWFIELD