Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed
Pork shoulder browned hard and broken into tomato with fennel seed, spooned through rigatoni with ricotta stirred in at the end.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 110 g Rigatoni
- 200 g Pork shoulder
- 150 g Canned tomatoes
- 50 g Ricotta
- ½ tsp Fennel seeds
- 2 tsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 15 g Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
Method
- Cut the pork shoulder into rough thumb-sized pieces and season it hard. Crush the fennel seeds under the flat of a knife to wake them up.
- Brown the pork in the olive oil over a high flame, in one layer and without crowding, six minutes until the pieces are properly dark on two sides. This colour is the whole flavour of the sauce.
- Add the fennel seeds for thirty seconds, then the tomatoes and a splash of water. Bring it to a bare simmer, cover it and leave it thirty-five minutes, until the pork gives way under a spoon and can be pulled into shreds.
- Break the pork up in the pan with the back of the spoon and let the sauce reduce uncovered for three minutes until it clings.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the rigatoni until it still has a firm centre, about eleven minutes. Drain, saving a ladleful of the water.
- Toss the pasta through the sauce with a splash of the water, then dot the ricotta over and stir it through only twice so it stays in soft white pockets rather than turning the whole dish pink. Grate the parmesan on top.
About Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed
Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed is an Italian dinner that comes together in about 57 minutes and serves 1.
Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed: frequently asked questions
Is Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Rigatoni. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed take to make?
About 57 minutes start to finish, but only around 20 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out parmigiano-reggiano — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Rigatoni with Slow Pork and Fennel Seed make?
This recipe makes 1 serving. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.