Dennis Prescott

Pasta Night!

It’s perfection. It’s comfort food, embodied. And best of all – pasta just makes folks happy. Bad day, pasta’s the cure. Great day, it’s the perfect dish to celebrate with. So much win.

This is one of my all-time favourite dishes this time of the year. Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Ricotta. Yes please and thank you! Soul-warming on cool fall days. Note! This dish takes a little extra time and effort, but it’s well worth the wait. And featuring incredible Pomi Organic Tomatoes straight from Italy, your friends and family are guaranteed to love this dish.

Pappardelle with Pork Ragu and Ricotta

Makes 4 to 6 servings, with leftover sauce  

2 pounds pork shoulder, fat trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes

1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

2 cups dry red wine

½ cup chicken stock

1 X 26-ounce container Pomi Organic Strained Tomatoes

Zest of 1 lemon, grated

1 pound dried pappardelle

3 tablespoons butter

½ cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

½ cup ricotta cheese

½ cup fresh basil leaves

Sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper

1. Season the pork liberally with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven (or stock pot) over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil. When hot, add the pork and, working in batches as necessary, brown on all sides (about 6 – 8 minutes). When browned, remove the pork with a slotted spoon and set aside (leave the oil in the pan).
2. Add the rosemary, sage, chili flakes, onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, and season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the veggies have softened (about 5 minutes). Add the pork back to the pot.
3. Pour in the wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock, Pomi Organic Strained tomatoes, and lemon zest, season with a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let the ragu simmer away for 1 – 1 ½ hours, or until the pork is fall-apart perfect, and your kitchen smells like heaven.
4. Remove the pork from the pot and shred with two forks. Stir the shredded pork back into the sauce and bring back to a simmer. Cook another 5 minutes, then stir in the parmesan cheese and butter. Remove from the heat.
5. Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Cook the pappardelle according to the package directions (al dente, please). Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid when draining.
6. Gently combine the cooked pasta (loosen as necessary with the reserved cooking liquid) mixing well so every nook & cranny is coated in deliciousness. Transfer to a serving platter, then dollop over the ricotta cheese and top with fresh basil leaves. If you like it cheesy, add more parmesan cheese, then serve. Delicious!!