Tomato and Smoked Pork Ragu
Recipe Date:
Serving Size:
6
Cook Time:
02:30:00
Difficulty:
Easy
Measurements:
Imperial (US)
Big and Savory! A delicious dish made with smoked pork ribs and a tangy and savory tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, basil and oregano. Served over a fresh penne or rigatoni. And pairing it with the Gene's Block Zinfandel, with its big and juicy tannins, raspberry and blackberry along with a touch of white pepper, it is a "Match made in Hog Heaven!"
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp anchovy paste (or 1
- 1 lb pork, smoked (*see below)
- 3 lbs good fresh tomatoes, chopped coarsely, leave out the woody stem part
- 1 cup Amista Zinfandel
- 1 large sprig of fresh basil
- 1/2 cup fresh oregano, chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Directions
- Saute onions in stockpot with olive oil until fragrant and semi-translucent. Add garlic and anchovy paste and saute for 2 more minutes
- Add all the tomatoes and continue cooking until the tomatoes are well softened, breaking them with the back of a wooden spoon
- Puree the tomatoes using either a standard blender (and make sure when you add them they are at room temperature) or use an immersion blender. Blend to your desired consistency.
- Shred the pork and add to the sauce
- Add a healthy splash of the Amista Zinfandel. Pour yourself a glass... You have been working hard!
- Add a large sprig of basil
- Simmer until the pork is fully cooked and the pork fat has rendered into the sauce
- Add the chopped oregano just prior to removing from the heat. Remove the sprig of basil
*The smoked pork is what gives this sauce its "oomph." I prefer to use ribs because they have some fat and that carries a good amount of the smoke flavor into the sauce. I smoke the ribs (half rack) for about 90 minutes and add them to the sauce whole. They will continue to cook in the sauce and the rib bones will add some wonderful flavor as well. Just take them out and shred the meat into the sauce and discard the bones prior to serving. Of course, any pork will do, and a simple loin will simplify the process.
This sauce is fantastic over almost any pasta. However, we prefer it over a good quality penne or rigatoni. It goes amazingly well with the Zinfandel. A match made in hog heaven!
