Pork Ragù

Michelin-starred chef Ryan Ratino's ragù is a slow-simmered, hearty dish that's a nod to the classic Bolognese sauce from Emilia-Romagna. Instead of beef, Ryan likes to use pork in this recipe because "it has great flavor and lots of cooking options."

Pork Ragù

Yields: about 6 servings

3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces2 tsp plus 1 Tbsp salt, divided (plus more for pasta water)½ Tbsp freshly ground black pepper½ cup olive oil6 garlic cloves, minced2 large carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces1 fresno chile pepper, seeds removed and pepper cut into ¼-inch pieces1 large white onion, cut into ½-inch pieces1 medium fennel bulb, cut into ½-inch pieces2 oz fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed and finely chopped1 Tbsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground1 tsp smoked paprika½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes2½ cups dry red wine1 carton (32 oz) chicken stock (4 cups)4 cups canned crushed tomatoes1 package (1 lb) penne or rigatoni pasta½ cup cold butter (1 stick), cut into 4 equal piecesgrated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In large bowl, sprinkle pork with 2 teaspoons salt and black pepper and toss until evenly coated; let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

In wide-bottomed 8-quart saucepot, heat oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add pork to saucepot and cook until all sides are golden-brown, turning pork with tongs and transferring to separate bowl as pieces are done.

Add garlic, carrots, chile pepper, onion, fennel, thyme, fennel seeds, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and remaining 1 tablespoon salt and cook until vegetables are well caramelized, stirring frequently and scraping bottom of saucepot to remove any browned bits.

Return all pork and any juices in bowl to saucepot. Add red wine; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and gently boil until wine is reduced by half, occasionally scraping bottom of saucepot to deglaze pan and release browned bits. Add chicken stock and crushed tomatoes; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low or medium-low; cover and simmer about 2 hours or until pork is fork-tender.

About 20 minutes before ragù is done, heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook as label directs or until al dente. Drain pasta in colander.

Remove ragù from heat; add pasta to ragù and toss until coated in sauce. Add butter and gently stir until butter melts. Serve pasta with cheese to sprinkle on top.