Slow-Simmered Pork & Mushroom Ragù with Truffle Oil Pasta

Tina Lanzillotta
2014-03-29T15:17:00-04:00

A rich, slow-simmered pork and mushroom ragù made with red wine, tomatoes, and aromatic vegetables. Finished with Pecorino and a drizzle of white truffle oil, this deeply flavoured sauce is perfect for coating hearty pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne.

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A rich, deeply flavoured pasta sauce made with fresh olive oil, red wine, and slow-cooked vegetables - perfect for an easy yet elevated weeknight meal.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 lb freshly ground pork (or beef or turkey)

2 cups mixed mushrooms, finely diced

2 large shallots, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 medium carrots, finely diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

2 cups red wine

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1 sprig fresh thyme (about 2")

1/2 cup Pecorino cheese, freshly grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup Della Terra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp Della Terra White Truffle Oil

1 lb dried rigatoni, penne, or other short pasta

Reserved pasta water (as needed)

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook until well browned, breaking it up into very small pieces as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat and set aside.

In the same pot, add the mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until browned and caramelized, scraping up any bits left from the meat.

Add the shallots, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any remaining browned bits. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half.

Add the crushed tomatoes and thyme. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the sauce simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small splash of water or stock as needed.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To Finish

Cook the pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining.

Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce and toss to combine, adding a little pasta water if needed to loosen and help the sauce coat the pasta. Cook together for 1 minute.

To Serve

Divide into bowls and top with freshly grated Pecorino cheese and a light drizzle of white truffle oil.

Serve immediately.