Skip to main content

Recipe: Maialino Style Pork Ragu with Broken Lasagna

Support Provided By
Maialino Style Pork Ragu with Broken Lasagna
Maialino Style Pork Ragu with Broken Lasagna

This recipe is courtesy of saramoulton.com

Maialino Style Pork Ragu with Broken Lasagna

Serves 6 to 8:  Makes 12 cups meat and sauce

Maialino Restaurant in New York City serves this hearty pork ragu as a sauce for dried lasagna pasta that has been broken into 3-inch pieces. It’s unusual in that it has no tomatoes–just onion, celery and fennel seeds for flavor. At the end of the cooking, the meat is torn into small pieces and tossed with the cooked pasta, grated cheese and fresh arugula for a little color and texture. Michele adapted this recipe from one that appeared in The New York Times.

This makes a lot of sauce.  If you don’t want to use it all at once, pack some of the sauce away in the freezer for another meal.  Note that it is also good with polenta or cooked beans instead of the pasta.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds bone in pork shoulder
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 1 rib celery, cut into large pieces
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 pound dried pasta, such as broken lasagne
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups trimmed baby arugula
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

To Prepare

Using a sharp knife, remove the thick skin from the pork, leaving a small amount of fat on top of the meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the pork in a large slow cooker.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery and fennel seeds. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the broth and thyme and bring it to a simmer. Add the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker. The meat should be almost covered by the liquid.  If not, add some water.Cover and cook on low until the meat just begins to pull away from the bone, and a small sharp knife inserted in the meat comes out easily, 8 to 10 hours.

Place the meat on a cutting board. With two forks, tear the meat into bite size pieces and discard the bones. Place the meat in a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid into another bowl. Skim off the excess fat. Discard the solids. Pour enough of the liquid over the pork to cover the meat. (Use the remainder for soup or stews.) When ready to serve, reheat the pork in its liquid in a large pot. Simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add the pasta and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender yet firm to the bite.  Drain well. Add the pasta to the pot with the meat. Add the butter and cheese and stir well. Stir in the arugula. Serve immediately. 

Support Provided By
Up Next
Read More
A black and white photo of an adult dressed as the easter bunny with a giant costumed head, holding a little girl on their left who gives it a kiss on the cheek and, with his right arm, holding a little boy who brings his hands to his eyes as though wiping away tears.

Behold the Bunnies and Bonnets of L.A.'s Past Easter Celebrations

The onset of the spring season heralds the arrival of fragrant flowers in bloom — and all the critters that enjoy them, including the Easter bunny and families who anticipate his arrival with egg hunts, parades and questionable fashion choices.
A black and white image of an elephant holding a broom with its trunk. A man is seen near the elephant, walking towards the animal.

Lions and Tigers and Cameras! How the Movies Gave Los Angeles a Zoo

The early days of the movies in Los Angeles inadvertently allowed visitors to experience the largest collection of animals in the western United States. When animals weren't appearing in a movie, they were rented out to other film companies, performed for studio visitors, or in the case of filmmaker William Selig's collection — an opportunity to create one of Los Angeles' first zoos.
A vertical, black and white portrait of a blonde woman wearing a sparkly four-leaf clover costume as she holds her arms out and extends a leg as though in a curtsy.

Irish for a Day: L.A.'s History of 'Going Green' on St. Patrick's Day

Whether it was a parade, dance, tea party, home celebration or just enjoying a good ol' wee dram of whisky, here's a photo essay of how Los Angeles donned its green apparel to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and embrace the luck o' the Irish over the years.