Porky Pasta

I love David Lieberman's recipe for beer-braised pork butt - it produces a large amount of juicy, flavorful pork with very little effort. Not only that, but also about a quart of extremely rich pork stock that is definitely worth skimming and saving.

Leftover pork + stock makes for a decadent pasta sauce. We threw some together with various bits of leftover vegetables to serve with the Pacheri Pasta Filei I purchased at Eataly a few weeks ago. The pasta - about the thickness of a drinking straw and as long as my pinky - was thick and delightfully chewy, as hearty as the sauce that topped it.

Quick Pork Ragu

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
pinch salt
3 cups rich pork stock
1/3 cup flour
2 cups shredded pork shoulder
2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they soften and start to become translucent. Add stock and bring to a boil.

Make a slurry of the flour and enough of the hot stock to the consistency of heavy cream. Stir the flour mixture into the boiling stock, a couple tablespoons at a time, until a light gravy consistency is reached. Discard remaining slurry.

Add pork, peppers, parsley, and basil to sauce. Turn heat down to medium and simmer sauce for about 10 minutes until everything is warmed through. Season to taste with vinegar and honey, salt and pepper.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Serve sauce over pasta, top with Parmesan or Asiago cheese, as desired. Serves 4.

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.