Pork Ragu
Preparation time
Cooking time
Total time
A quick and easy ragu to make and enjoy midweek. The sauce is flavoured with fennel and gives you a mid week taste of Italy.
Marissa: www.marissa.co
Recipe type: Mains
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 packet 500g pork mince
- 1 level teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 red onions, chopped finely
- 3 small garlic cloves, chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon dried chillies or to taste
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
- 150ml white wine
- 1 tablespoon heaped tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 4 small fresh sage leaves finely chopped
- 4 sprigs of thyme leaves were removed and chopped
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary stalks, leaves chopped (10cm long)
- 150ml double cream or milk
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes plus about 50ml water to swill the tin out
Method
- To a large pot add the oil and soften the onions until they are translucent. Then stir the pork and cook until the pork changes colour and keep stirring to break the meat up into small pieces.
- Add all the herbs and the fish sauce stir well and then mix in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the wine and stir well, simmer until the wine reduces for about 5 minutes. Mix in the cream or milk and crumble in the stock cube, allow the cream/milk to heat through, all the while stirring as it heats.
- Add the chopped tomatoes swill a little water in the tin and then simmer for 30-60 minutes.
- Serve with your favourite pasta and your favourite grated cheese.
Tips
Vegans and Vegetarians
Omit the fish sauce, use oat milk or your favourite milk that won't split at high prolonged temperatures, a vegetable stock cube and vegan-friendly wine.
Fish sauce is the equivalent of using anchovy fillets, it adds a depth of favour that is indistinguishable.
The timing differs based on the time you have. It is more delicious the longer it simmers and then reduces to a thick meat sauce. But after 30 minutes it’s still a tasty meal.
Wine
I have used red and white in the recipe and both work well.
Wine can also be omitted.
Herbs
You can use dried herbs too, use one scant teaspoon of dried sage and thyme and ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary.
Sausage Meat
I tried the recipe with a 12 pack of Richmond Thick sausages, squeezing the meat out of the casing and the dish tasted wonderful. A top tip for student cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with your favourite pasta tagliatelle or whatever you have to hand.
Serve with your favourite grated cheese, we grated Parmesan over our dish.
Use the mixture in a tray of lasagna for a delicious meal.
Freezing
This recipe freezes well.
Portion and defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Omit the fish sauce, use oat milk or your favourite milk that won't split at high prolonged temperatures, a vegetable stock cube and vegan-friendly wine.
Fish sauce is the equivalent of using anchovy fillets, it adds a depth of favour that is indistinguishable.
The timing differs based on the time you have. It is more delicious the longer it simmers and then reduces to a thick meat sauce. But after 30 minutes it’s still a tasty meal.
Wine
I have used red and white in the recipe and both work well.
Wine can also be omitted.
Herbs
You can use dried herbs too, use one scant teaspoon of dried sage and thyme and ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary.
Sausage Meat
I tried the recipe with a 12 pack of Richmond Thick sausages, squeezing the meat out of the casing and the dish tasted wonderful. A top tip for student cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with your favourite pasta tagliatelle or whatever you have to hand.
Serve with your favourite grated cheese, we grated Parmesan over our dish.
Use the mixture in a tray of lasagna for a delicious meal.
Freezing
This recipe freezes well.
Portion and defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Recipe by Marissa's Recipes & Ideas at https://www.marissa.co/pork-ragu-recipe/