December Recipe: Baked Orecchiette with Pork Sugo

Picture By. Food and Wine

The first time I had this, my friend Courtney had made it, and brought it in for lunch the next day.  As we are always talking food she told me I had to try it.  If you have leftovers that taste amazing you know it will be out of this world right off the bat. I made it a few weeks back for a dinner party and it was to die for! If you can, definitely make the pork the day ahead.  I did and put it in to crock pot the next day to warm and slow cook all day.  Wow is all I have to say! Our friend had 3 servings he loved it so much.  So thank you Courtney for this awesome recipe I can't wait to make again and again!

INGREDIENTS

1. 3 1/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
2. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 4 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5. 4 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6. 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
7. 4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
8. One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
9. 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
10. 4 thyme sprigs
11. 5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
12. 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
13. 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
14. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
15. 1 1/2 pounds orecchiette
16. 2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (7 ounces)

1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the pork in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat until the pieces are golden brown all over, about 12 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until softened and browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer. Add the red wine and thyme sprigs and cook over high heat until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork and vegetables to a food processor; discard the thyme sprigs. Pulse just until the pork is shredded. Scrape the shredded pork and vegetables back into the casserole. Stir in the chopped parsley, oregano and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orecchiette until it is still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes; drain well. Add the orecchiette to the casserole and toss with the pork sauce. Scrape the pasta into a very large baking dish and sprinkle all over with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake the casserole in the upper third of the oven for about 35 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling. Let the baked pasta stand for 10 minutes before serving.

My pork slowly cooking. The smell is incredible!