Baked Ziti With Pork and Sausage Ragù

Ziti al Forno Con Carne di Maiale e Salsiccia

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4  ounces  thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 2  lbs  pork shoulder, cut into 1 and 1/4-inch cubes
• 1  lb  hot sausage, casings removed
• 2  cups  chopped onions
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped carrot
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped celery
• 6  large fresh thyme sprigs
• 6  large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2  bay leaves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  dried crushed  red pepper
• 2  cups dry red wine
• 1 (28 ounce) can  plum tomatoes in  juice, tomatoes chopped, juice reserved
• 1 1⁄4 lbs ziti pasta
• 2  cups  packed coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
• 1⁄2 cup  freshly grated parmigiano cheese

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add pancetta and saute until brown and crisp.
3. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to bowl.
4. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.
5. Add half of pork to drippings in pot; saute until brown, about 7 minutes.
6. Transfer to bowl with pancetta.
7. Repeat with remaining pork.
8. Add sausage to same pot.
9. Saute until no longer pink, breaking up with back of fork, about 5 minutes.
10. Add onions, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper.
11. Reduce heat to medium-low; saute until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
12. Add wine and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits.
13. Add pancetta and pork with any accumulated juices; boil 2 minutes.
14. Add tomatoes with juice.
15. Cover and cook until pork is very tender, adjusting heat as needed to maintain gentle simmer and stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.
16. Uncover pot; tilt to 1 side and spoon off fat from surface of ragù.
17. Gently press pork pieces with back of fork to break up meat coarsely.
18. Season ragù to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
19. Preheat oven to 400°F
20. Butter 15 x 10 x 2-inch glass baking dish or other 4-quart baking dish.
21. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until 'al dente', stirring occasionally.
22. Drain pasta; mix into ragù.
23. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper; transfer to prepared dish.
24. Sprinkle both cheeses over.
25. Bake until heated through and golden, about 20 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
26. That's it!