Baked Orecchiette With Pork Sugo

In Italian cuisine, a sugo is a gravy or sauce. Here, Ethan Stowell prepares a pork sugo by braising pork shoulder until it almost falls apart, shredding it in a food processor and mixing it with a red-wine-and-tomato sauce; then he bakes it with orecchiette under a topping of Parmigiano cheese until crispy. The dish is an excellent alternative to the usual baked pasta, because it’s not as heavy and cheesy but still delicious and satisfying. This recipe by Ethan Stowell, from "10 Entertaining Essentials Satisfying Family Style Dishes." Appeared in F&W Magazine October, 2008

• Ready In: 3 hrs 55 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
•  kosher salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4  carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 4  celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1  large sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 4  garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 14  ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
• 1 1⁄2 cups dry red wine
• 4  fresh thyme sprigs
• 5  cups  chicken stock or 5  cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2  tablespoons  chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1  tablespoon  chopped oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  orecchiette
• 2  cups  freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (7 ounces)

Directions

1. Season the pork with salt and pepper.
2. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering.
3. Add the pork in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat until the pieces are golden brown all over, about 12 minutes.
4. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until softened and browned in spots, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the red wine and thyme sprigs and cook over high heat until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the stock and bring to a boil.
8. Cover and simmer over low heat until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours.
9. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork and vegetables to a food processor; discard the thyme sprigs.
10. Pulse just until the pork is shredded.
11. Scrape the shredded pork and vegetables back into the casserole.
12. Stir in the chopped parsley, oregano and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper.
13. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
14. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orecchiette until it is still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes; drain well.
15. Add the orecchiette to the casserole and toss with the pork sauce.
16. Scrape the pasta into a very large baking dish and sprinkle all over with the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
17. Bake the casserole in the upper third of the oven for about 35 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling.
18. Let the baked pasta stand for 10 minutes before serving.
19. *The pork sugo can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat before tossing with the orecchiette.
20. **Serve with a Green salad and Rich, black-fruited Amarone Classico: 2004 Masi Costasera.