Smoky Pork Pappardelle

By JeanAnn

Ingredients

• One 2-pound piece of boneless pork shoulder
• Smoked sea salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 celery rib, cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
• Freshly group pepper
• 1 pound pappardelle
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the pork with 1 1/2 tablespoons of smoked salt. In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the pork and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until it is browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.
Add the diced apple, onion, carrot and celery, the crushed garlic and the thyme sprigs to the casserole and cook over moderate heat until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it deepens in color, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Add the chicken stock, Champagne vinegar and honey and bring to a simmer. Return the browned pork to the pot, cover and transfer the casserole to the oven. Braise the pork for about 3 hours, turning once halfway through, until the meat is very tender.
Transfer the braised pork to a plate. Strain the sauce into a large bowl, gently pressing on the solids with the back of a wooden spoon. Discard the solids and pour the sauce back into the pot. Using 2 forks, shred the pork, discarding any large pieces of fat. Transfer the shredded pork to the sauce and stir in the mascarpone cheese. Season the sauce with smoked salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, Add the pappardelle and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the casserole with the pork sauce. Add the parsley and toss the pasta with the sauce and the parsley over moderate heat until well coated, about 1 minute. Transfer the pasta to warm shallow bowls. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with smoked salt and serve immediately.
The pork sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Rewarm before proceeding.