This orecchiette pasta recipe combines the rustic comforts of Italian cooking with an upscale plating and mouthwatering pork boscaiola sauce. The sauce (which gets its name from the Italian word for “woodcutter’s wife” combines fresh foraged mushrooms, pork, autumn vegetables, and cream, making a hearty companion for fresh, handmade orecchiette cooked al dente. Hear Chef Fiore Moletz share more about this recipe below:
What is Orecchiette Pasta?
Orecchiette hails from the southern Italian region of Puglia, where this pasta reigns supreme.
The simple recipe of flour, water and salt, makes this an important element of la cucina povera. The phrase means “poor cooking,” and refers to the frugal genius of Italians making the most of what they had at hand — and in the process, creating one of the world’s great cooking traditions .
The name translates to “little ears,” which describes its shape and its ability to hold onto a hearty sauce, which makes this pasta shape very versatile. Even the richest marinara will still combine well with orecchiette.
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Handmade Orecchiette Pasta with Pork Boscaiola
Description
A rustic Italian recipe.
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 1 cup semolina
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup water
For the boscaiola sauce:
- 1/4 cup cannola oil
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 lbs. pork butt or shoulder cut into large chunks
- 25 grams dried porcini mushrooms
- 150 grams red cooking wine
- 285 grams diced white onions (1 large onion)
- 170 grams diced carrots (1 large carrot)
- 170 grams diced celery ( 2–3 stalks)
- 30 g minced garlic
- 930 grams of milled or ground san Marzano tomatoes
- 500 grams chicken stock
- 300 g heavy cream
- 1 orange halved
Instructions
For the pasta:
- Start with equal parts flour, semolina and water. (1 cup of each will make 4 servings)
- Combine both flours and create a bowl shape on a clean, smooth working surface. Slowly add the water and knead together until a dough forms.
- Roll flat with a rolling pin, and cut into small pieces, and use a knife to pull them to shape. This particular step is easier to learn by watching than by reading, so please see above video for full instructions.
For the boscaiola sauce:
- Wash the mushrooms well through a strainer, then soak in the red wine before beginning to cook.
- Season pork liberally with salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in large pot on medium high heat. Sear pork on both sides, then remove.
- Turn heat to medium and add onions, saute for 2 minutes, then add carrots and celery and season with salt. Cook veg until browned, not burnt. Add garlic and brown, but DO NOT BURN. Once garlic is browned, add tomatoes and cook down until the liquid from the tomatoes is gone, and tomatoes are beginning to stick to pot.
- Add wine/mushrooms, and cook down by half. Add stock & seared pork. Add orange halves. NO SEEDS. Bring to a boil, then cover and place in 350 F oven to braise for 2-3 hours.
- After 2 hours, check doneness of pork, if not tender continue to braise in 30 minute intervals until tender. If there is a lot of liquid, remove lid and leave in oven for 15 minutes. Once tender, leave at room temp until cool enough to handle. Then break up meat with hands, removing undesired parts. Mix in heavy cream until incorporated.
Recipe by Fiore Moletz
Photography by Dave Bryce
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