Pork Ragu

This is a recipe that I got from Carolyn Rawie when Jud retired from pastoring Woodland Baptist Church in San Antonio. He had been there 13 years so people gave us 13 of something. I forgot to buy canned tomatoes, so I used 2 fresh tomatoes that I had. Turned out great. Loved the papparadelle noodles.  I had to really look, but I finally found them in the special pastas. You are right, Chet, I will never use egg noodles again.


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/pork-ragu

Ingredients:
3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast, quartered - H.E.B. didn't have pork shoulder that day so the meat guy talked me in to pork butt. I think it is more expensive, but it was really good.
1 cup all-purpose flour for dusting
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup diced pancetta
1 yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4 " dice
1 fennel bulb, cut into slices
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 can 28 oz. diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons tomato past
3 tablespoons kitchen bouquet
1 cup red win and 1 cup chicken broth
3/4 pound papparadelle, cooked al-dente-I just cooked enough for one sitting for Jud and me. I will cook more when we have it for left-overs.

Jud is buying hogie rolls today and plan to have the pork ragu over hogie rolls for lunch or dinner one day this week.
Directions:
Season pork with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour; shake off excess. Actually, I didn't dredge my pork in flour. Though I would save a few calories.  Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown the meat on each side.  Transfer to crock pot. Brown the pancetta 3-5 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and fennel; cook 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Transfer to crock pot.

Cook mushrooms 15 minutes over medium heat. Add tomatoes, kitchen bouquet, tomato paste, wine and broth to skittle. Bring to a simmer. Put everything except pasta into the slow cooker and cook on high for 5 hours.  I put it on in the morning before we took the grandchildren to the stock show so I cooked it on low for 9 hours.

Carolyn says to cook the pasta to al-dente and then fold it in to the pasta.
I cooked the pasta to al-dente and then put some on my plate and topped it with the pork ragu. Didn't want to risk the pasta being over cooked when I warned it the second time.