Homemade Pappardelle and Pork Ragu

Ingredients for pasta:
1.5 cups of "00" flour
1.5 cups of AP flour
6 eggs
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt
splash of water, if needed

Directions:
Combine the flour together on the counter, mix.  Make a well and crack the eggs in the center of the well. Add the olive oil and salt here.  Begin whisking with a large fork and slowly pull in the flour a little at a time.  Once your eggs are absorbed in the flour, begin using your hands and knead the flour. Pull over, press down with the heel of your hand, roll, press, etc.  Knead for 10 minutes until combined well and dough is no longer dry or slippery. Add a dash of water if dough seems dry.   Cover tightly with plastic wrap to rest.
When you are ready, run the past through a pasta machine. The pattern I followed was 3 times on 1, 2 times on 2, 2 times on 3, 2 times on 4.  This should give you nice long sheets of pasta.  Cut them in half and then roll them lengthwise. Cut 4 times to make 5 long pappardelle noodles per half of sheet. Unroll them, fluff with flour and keep on a sheet tray covered with a towel while you are making the rest.

Ingredients for pork ragu:
2 pounds of boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch cubes
2 tsp dried italian seasoning - or a mixture of dried thyme, parsley, rosemary and basil
3 TBSP olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
1/4 cup dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Franc local from Connecticut)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 balls of Burrata cheese
salt and pepper
1 tsp hungarian sweet paprika
Basil, red pepper flakes and parmesan for garnish

Directions for Pork Ragu:
1. Season pork with italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
2. Heat large dutch oven with 3 TBSP olive oil. Sear the pork for 3-5 minutes on at least 2 sides.  Remove pork.
3. Add in carrots, onion and garlic and scrap up any brown bits.  Cook until softened for about 5 minutes.
4. Add back in the pork, add the wine, tomatoes and chicken stock with a little more salt, pepper and italian seasoning.  Stir and simmer on low for 30 minutes, uncovered.
5. Add balsamic, worcestershire, thyme and rosemary sprigs and paprika. Stir. Cover and simmer on low for 35-40 minutes.
6. The pork should be very tender and pull apart with 2 forks.  Pull apart all the pork, stir, taste for seasoning.
7. Keep sauce on warm or keep covered and boil the pasta for 3-4 minutes.  Pull out pasta and place right into the sauce pot. Toss gently and then plate.
8. Garnish with 1/2 burrata bowl and basil.
enjoy

  

This dish went well with:
Sannino
Syrah
2015
North Fork, Long Island, NY USA