Pork Ragù with Gnocchi
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour (pressure cooker) or 2½–3 hours (oven)
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Slow-cooked pork shoulder is gently simmered in a rich sauce until meltingly tender, then spooned over gnocchi for the ultimate comfort dish. It’s hearty, flavourful and perfect for chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Pork Ragù
1.5 kg pork shoulder, deboned and skinned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
1 C (250 ml) red wine
2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
2 C (500 ml) beef stock
2 sprigs fresh origanum
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
Kitchen string
½ C (125 ml) fresh cream
To Serve
2 x 500 g packs ready-made gnocchi
½ C (125 ml) mascarpone
½ C (125 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, fried or served fresh
Instructions
Pork Ragù
Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pot or pressure cooker and brown the pork on all sides until caramelised, then remove and set aside.
In the same pot, sauté the onion until softened. Add the carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3–5 minutes to deepen the flavour. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up any bits from the base, then add the chopped tomatoes and beef stock.
Tie the origanum, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves together with kitchen string to form a bouquet garni (herb bundle) and add it to the pot. Return the pork to the pot.
If using a pressure cooker, cook for 1 hour. If using an oven, cover with a lid and place the pot on the lowest shelf of a preheated oven at 160 °C. Cook for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the pork is tender and shreds easily.
Remove the pork from the pot and shred it with two forks. Discard the herb bundle. If the sauce is too thin, place the pot back on the stove and simmer until slightly reduced. Stir in the fresh cream, then return the shredded pork to the sauce and allow it to simmer for a further 10–15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
To Serve
Cook the gnocchi according to the packet instructions; once they float to the surface, lift out with a slotted spoon and either stir into the ragù and dish, or divide the gnocchi between bowls and top with the ragù.
Add a spoonful of mascarpone to each bowl, then garnish with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
