Ricks Sunday Pork Ragu Food

PORK RAGU

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, then add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Stir in the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the vegetables until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, then add the wine and cook for another minute. Stir in the stock and bring sauce to a simmer. Add the pork and season with a pinch of ground cloves. When the sauce returns to a simmer add the milk and reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce mellow while you bring the water to boil for the pasta or polenta. Sauce may be made ahead and reheated over medium-low heat. Add a splash of stock or water to thin the sauce, if necessary. Serve the sauce tossed with pasta ribbons or atop creamy bowls of polenta and garnish with lots of cheese and parsley.

PORK RAGOUT WITH PAPPARDELLE PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, salt both sides of each rib, then add to the pot and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion, bell pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir to combine and then partially cover with a lid. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the wine, bay leaves, thyme, crushed red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Nestle in the browned ribs (and any accumulated juices), then add the crushed tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups of water (it's nice to rinse the tomato can out with water and then use 1 1/2 cups of that "tomato water"). Bring to a high simmer, then adjust to a low simmer and cover the pot partially with the lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and falling apart and the sauce has reduced, about 2 hours. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the pot and add back into the sauce. Remove the pieces of pork and let them cool slightly; finely shred the meat, then stir back into the sauce. The sauce can now be finished and served or it can be cooled down, refrigerated and reheated the next day.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the package instructions, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Stir the parsley into the sauce and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt. Thin out with a little of the reserved pasta water and stir in the torn basil. Divide the cooked pasta among bowls and top each with some ragout. Drizzle each bowl with a little olive oil, top with a generous amount of Parmesan and garnish with a few basil leaves.

SUNDAY RAGU

Steps:

• Make brasciola: start with slice of cappicola, lay a slice of Parmesan on the cappicola, and follow with garlic and parsley. Roll each pile into cigar-shaped rolls, and hold in place with toothpicks.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, add ground beef, breadcrumbs, oregano, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, eggs, water and parmesan cheese and mix well. Form the meat mixture into 2-inch balls. Heat a large saute pan. Add enough oil to fry in. Add the balls and fry until evenly browned.
• In a large saute pan, add oil and heat. Fry the sausage until evenly browned.
• In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion, and saute until golden. Add brasciola rolls, meatballs, sausage, pureed tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for one hour. Remove brasciola, meatballs and sausage and serve separately if desired. Taste ragu, and season with salt and pepper according to preference.

TAGLIATELLE WITH A LEMON PORK RAGù

Steps:

• Peel the garlic cloves, cut in half lengthways and remove the green shoot at the centre. Gently warm the garlic and oil in a large frying pan (big enough to toss the pasta in later). As it starts to colour, take off the heat and let the garlic infuse for 5 minutes, then discard it.
• Tip the onion and celery into the garlic scented oil, sprinkle with a little salt and return to a gentle heat. Let them soften, without colouring, for 8-10 minutes. They should sweat rather than fry, so if you hear sizzling add water, a tablespoon at a time.
• Add the pancetta and cook for another 6minutes, adding water as before. Stir in the pork and turn the heat up. Don't colour the meat too much and avoid breaking it up. Add the wine and let it evaporate, then season. Pour in 200ml/7fl oz water, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Mix in a little water if the mixture gets too dry.
• While the ragù is cooking, put a pan with plenty of water on to boil. Grate the Parmesan and the zest from the lemon.
• When the water is at a rolling boil add 2 tsp salt, then the pasta. Partly cover, bring back to the boil, give it a good stir and reduce the heat so the water boils gently. Taste the pasta 2 minutes before the timing on the packet - remember it will keep cooking while it is tossed with the ragù.
• Drain the pasta, reserving some pasta water. Immediately transfer the pasta to the frying pan and toss well over a low heat. Tip in the parmesan and toss well. Add pasta water to dilute, or extra cheese to absorb excess liquid, and mix again.
• Toss in the lemon zest and parsley. Serve immediately.