A comfort classic that fills the house with the toothsome aroma of slow cooked meaty goodness. Simple, satisfying and one of my favourite ways to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Ingredients
Olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
1 pork shoulder, skin removed and roughly cut into chunks around 5-7cm
1 brown onion, peeled and finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 stalks celery, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
3-4 ribbons of lemon peel
3-4 sprigs thyme
1 tin crushed tomatoes (or you can slow roast a punnet of cherry tomatoes if they’re going south in the fridge to use them up)
2-3 glasses of red wine (you can do this recipe with chicken stock and white wine instead of tomato, and make it a white ragu).
Method
In a large, heavy based pot on a medium to high heat, brown the chunks of pork in olive oil, until golden and sealed on all sides. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan, transferring the sealed pieces to a bowl.
Once the meat is browned, reduce the pan to a medium heat and add another generous slug of olive oil. Sauté the onion, garlic, celery and carrot until the onion is translucent, then throw in the lemon skin and thyme.
Return the pork to the pot, then add the tomatoes and wine. Stir to combine, then turn the heat back up to high until it begins to simmer. Season generously with salt and pepper, stir to combine, then reduce to a low heat, place the lid on, propped up with a spoon to allow a small amount of evaporation. Simmer on the stove for 4-6 hours, or if your pot is oven proof, transfer to an oven on 120c for the same amount of time, the top loosely covered with foil.
The pork is ready when you can use a spoon to crush the chunks of pork. Gently smoosh all the pork and incorporate it into the sauce, season to taste. If there is still a lot of liquid left, simmer it on the stove, uncovered, until it is reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon.
To serve: cook the pasta to al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. In a frying pan, spoon as much ragu as you plan to serve, along with a good splash of the pasta water. Bring to a simmer and when the mixture begins to bubble and thicken, throw in the pasta. Toss vigorously, to work the starches, creating a glossy sauce. Taste once again to season, then transfer the pasta to the hot plate. Garnish with microplanes parmigiano reggiano, lemon zest and black pepper.