Pork Comforting

Baked pork and veal ragu

Name: Matt Moran's baked pork and veal ragu
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 170 min
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 125ml olive oil; 500g pork and veal mince; 95g tomato paste; 1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved; 1 celery stalk, trimmed, chopped; 1 carrot chopped; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, bruised; 2 fresh bay leaves; 1 tsp fennel seeds, plus 1/2 tsp extra toasted to serve; 165ml white wine; 1.2kg canned chopped tomatoes; 100g unsalted butter, chopped; 500g dried fettuccini, cooked according to packet instructions; Finely grated parmesan, to serve; Baby parsley leaves, to serve

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20m

2h 50m

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by Matt Moran

Chef and delicious. Produce Awards judge

May 01, 2018

There's nothing like this slow-cooked ragu for dinner on a cool night.

1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil
500g pork and veal mince
1/3 cup (95g) tomato paste
1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved
1 celery stalk, trimmed, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, bruised
2 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp fennel seeds, plus 1/2 tsp extra toasted to serve
2/3 cup (165ml) white wine
1.2kg canned chopped tomatoes
100g unsalted butter, chopped
500g dried fettuccini, cooked according to packet instructions
Finely grated parmesan, to serve
Baby parsley leaves, to serve

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2.

Heat half the oil in a large ovenproof saucepan with a fitted lid over high heat. Add mince and cook, breaking up mince with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until mince is well coated. Transfer mince mixture to a plate and set aside.
3.

Place chopped fennel, celery, carrot, onion and garlic in a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Heat remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) oil in uncleaned mince pan over high heat. Add fennel mixture, bay leaves and fennel seeds, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Return mince to pan and add wine.
4.

Bring to the boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute or until liquid is absorbed. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer to oven and bake, stirring halfway, for 2 hours 30 minutes or until meat is tender and sauce has thickened. While hot, stir through butter until melted.
5.

Divide cooked pasta among bowls. Spoon over ragu and scatter with reserved fennel fronds, extra toasted fennel seeds, parmesan and baby parsley to serve.