This pork and fennel ragu recipe by Maria Harte will transport you all the way to Tuscany this summer!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 450g pork mince
- 1 white onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 8-10 sage leaves, chopped (or 1 tsp of dried sage)
- 1 sprig of rosemary, leaves removed and chopped (or 1 tsp of dried)
- 2 tsp of fennel seeds, crushed
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 2 tsp of cracked black pepper
- 1 tin of cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp of tomato purée
- 1/2 tin of water
- 1/2 tin of milk
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 350g of dried tagliatelle
Method
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot and place over medium to high heat. Add the pork mince and brown it well.
- Turn down the heat and add in the garlic and onions. Mix them in with the mince and let it cook for 3 minutes. At this point, you can decant everything into a slow cooker if you wish!
- Add the herbs, tomato purée, cracked black pepper, and fennel seeds. Follow this with your tin of cherry tomatoes, water, and milk. Pop the lid on, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook for 2 hours or longer if you have it. In the slow cooker, you can leave it on low for 4-6 hours but turn it up to high for 20-30 minutes and cook with the lid off to reduce the sauce.
- Cook your pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water and add the drained pasta back to the pot. Spoon the ragu into the pasta along with a splash of pasta water and a generous grating of Parmesan. Mix well to combine into a silky sauce.
- Serve in big bowls with an extra spoon of ragu and plenty of Parmesan
About Maria Harte
About Maria Harte
Maria Harte is a TV cook on Virgin Media’s six o’clock show, food stylist, and food writer. She is a self-taught cook that could fillet a fish by age 10 and prides herself in creating no-fuss recipes for people who love to eat on her Instagram page @_mariaharte_, at cookery demos including Wellfest and through her weekly newsletter “Joyful Eats For Your Week”.
