Pappardelle with white pork ragu, sage and lemon

Name: Pappardelle with white pork ragu, sage and lemon
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1kg boned pork shoulder, cut into chunks; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped; 1 celery stalk, peeled and finely chopped; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 10g fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped; 1 lemon, zested and juice reserved; 240ml dry white wine; 360ml chicken stock; 500ml full-cream milk; 900g-1kg fresh pappardelle (or pasta of your choice); ¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano, plus extra; black pepper, to serve

Danielle Alvarez

August 16, 2024

Alvarez prefers pappardelle pasta here because of its silkiness and the way it wraps up the ragu.William Meppem

Time:2 hours +Serves:6

Maiale al latte is a classic Italian dish of pork cooked in milk. This might sound a bit odd, but it’s a revelation. The milk “splits” during cooking, turning it into curds and whey, which doesn’t look very appealing, but get past that and you’re left with a sauce that’s tangy, rich and deeply flavourful, thanks to the sage, garlic and lemon. Tossing the pasta through the sauce also greatly improves its appearance and makes for a completely delicious meal in a bowl.

Ingredients

1kg boned pork shoulder, cut into chunks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds
8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
10g fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
1 lemon, zested and juice reserved
240ml dry white wine
360ml chicken stock
500ml full-cream milk
900g-1kg fresh pappardelle (or pasta of your choice)
¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano, plus extra
black pepper, to serve

Method

Step 1
Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks and season all over with salt (leave the rind on if you prefer, as I do). Set aside.
Step 2
Heat an oven-safe pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and brown the pork chunks for several minutes; do this in batches if your pot is not big enough to do all at once. When they’re golden-brown all over, remove from the pot and set aside on a nearby plate.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 140C fan-forced (160C conventional).
Step 4
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot with a good pinch of salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes until they’re very soft and beginning to caramelise. Next, add the fennel seeds, minced garlic, sage, rosemary and lemon zest (save the juice for later). Saute these aromatics together for about a minute.
Step 5
Add the white wine, reduce heat to a simmer and reduce wine by half before adding the pork back in, along with the chicken stock and milk, and bringing the whole thing back to a simmer. Cover with a lid and place the pot in the oven for 3-4 hours. After 3 hours, check the pork; if it’s shredding easily, it’s ready. If not, keep cooking until it does, then remove from the oven.
Step 6
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil.
Step 7
Using a couple of forks, shred the pork in the pot and taste the ragu for seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
Step 8
Boil the pasta of your choice – I like pappardelle because of its silkiness and the way it wraps up the ragu – according to packet instructions and reserve about 250ml of the cooking water as you drain it; add the cooked pasta to the ragu. Place the pot over a high heat for the pasta and ragu to cook together for a minute or two.
Step 9
Turn off the heat and finish the dish with the ¼ cup of grated parmigiano reggiano, the lemon juice and a splash or two of the reserved cooking water. Don’t add too much; you want the sauce silky, not watery.
Step 10
Divide the pasta into bowls and garnish with more grated parmigiano reggiano and lots of black pepper.