Category: Entrees

Chicken Thighs Baked with Lemon, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme

Servings: 6
Source: Fine Cooking August/September 2001
NOTE: Chicken should refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (see below)In addition to the lemon and fresh herbs, the chicken thighs are flavored with an emulsified mash of garlic, salt, and olive oil, called allioli. I like to garnish each plate of chicken with a spoonful of romesco sauce.

Ingredients
2 lg cloves garlic
Coarse salt or sea salt
3 to 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 chicken thighs, trimmed of fat, rinsed, and patted dry
2 lg lemons, each cut into six ¼ “” rounds
1 bunch fresh rosemary, snipped into twelve 2″” pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, snipped into twelve 2″” pieces
12 sage leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with a large pinch of salt to create a coarse paste (or use a small mixing bowl and the back of a spoon, or mince the garlic very finely on a cutting board). Add the oil very slowly in drops while pounding and grinding the paste, continuing until the allioli is thick, creamy, and emulsified. Put the chicken in a bowl. Rub the allioli all over, including under the skin.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Arrange the lemon slices in one layer in a large shallow roasting pan or baking dish (9xl3x2 inches is good). Top each slice with a piece of rosemary and thyme and a sage leaf. Set the chicken thighs, skin side up, on top; sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Bake until the skin is golden and the juices are clear, 45 min. to 1 hour.

Sometimes the lemons and chicken produce a lot of juices, in which case you can make a delicious pan sauce. Transfer the chicken (keeping the herbs and lemon slices underneath) to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Tilt the pan to pool the juices in one corner. Spoon off the fat that rises to the top. Set the pan over medium heat (if the pan isn’t flameproof, pour the juices into a small skillet) and scrape up any stuck-on juices. Let the juices boil and reduce so they thicken to a saucy consistency. Drizzle the sauce around, not on, the chicken to maintain the crisp skin.

Chicken Tandoor

Servings: 4-6
Source: Fine Cooking #21, June/July 1997

Ingredients

FOR THE MARINADE:
2-inch piece ginger, peeled
4 large cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chill powder
1½ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

FOR THE CHICKEN:
2 to 3 pounds boneless chicken thighs and breasts
¼ cup melted butter or olive oil

FOR THE GARNISH:
½ mild white onion, thinly sliced
½ Cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 or 2 fresh green chiles, thinly sliced

1 lime, cut in wedges

Directions

Make the marinade: In a blender or a food processor, blend the ginger and garlic to a fine paste (you may need to add a little water to make a paste). Add the turmeric, chili powder, salt, cumin, yogurt, and lime juice; process until combined.

Prepare the chicken: Remove the skin from the chicken, leaving some fat. Make a few slits in each piece and transfer to a nonreactive dish large enough for the pieces to lie flat. Pour the marinade over the chicken and stir to coat the chicken thoroughly. Seal with plastic and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but no more than 12 hours, turning the chicken once.

Grill the chicken: Prepare a charcoal grill with an even layer of coals. While the grill is heating up, take the chicken out of the refrigerator. When the charcoal is red-hot, lay the chicken pieces on the grill about 2 inches apart. Baste with any remaining marinade. Cover the grill, leaving the vents half-open. After about 5 minutes, remove the grill lid and turn over the chicken pieces; they should look slightly charred. Replace the lid and continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover the chicken, baste it with the melted butter, turn it over, and leave it uncovered for the rest of the cooking time. Baste after 2 or 3 minutes and test for doneness: the meat should feel firm when you press it. Transfer the chicken to a large platter. Arrange the onion, cilantro, chiles, and lime wedges over the chicken and seal the platter with foil. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes to absorb the garnish flavors. Traditional accompaniments are chutney, curried potatoes, peas, raita, and basmati rice.

Orecchiette Pasta with Brocolli Rabe

Servings: 6
Source: Bon Appétit May 1995
In Apulia, women still make pasta at home. Their favorite pasta shape – and the symbol of the region – is arecchiette, or “”little ears””. Called recchie or recchietelle in the local dialect, orecchiette is eaten just about daily, but is prepared a different way in almost every village. The sauces for this whimsical pasta are straightforward and usually contain vegetables, beans or legumes. This recipe is one of the most basic.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, including all of the oil in the anchovy tin
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz orecchiette or shell pasta
1 lb broccoli rabe, trimmed, chopped
1 entire 2oz tin of anchovies, chopped
parmesan cheese
chile flakes

Directions
Heat oil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until beginning to color, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and cook until pasta is just tender, but still firm to bite, about 3 minutes. Drain. Transfer pasta and broccoli rabe to large bowl. Pour garlic oil over. Add in chopped anchovies and pepper flakes to taste, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese individually.

Chicken Tagine with Pumpkin and Chickpeas

Servings: 8-10
Preheat: 400°
Source: From David Tanis – A Platter of Figs
Saffron-scented North African-style chicken tagine is a wonderful stew, perfect for a small group, comforting on a cold night. In Tunisia and Morocco, tagine is both the name of the cooking vessel and the dish. Basically, a deep thick earthenware plate is filled with meat and vegetables or dried fruit. A high conical lid keeps the moisture in, allowing the dish to simmer, sizzle, and bake, on a propane stovetop or over hot coals. The tagine is a clever device, economical in a land where the price of fuel is high and most homes do not have ovens. Similar results can be achieved in an American oven using a wide shallow casserole or gratin dish. This tagine can be made hours (or a day) before serving, and then is easily reheated. The recipe is easy to alter for other seasons (it’s wonderful with tomatoes in place of pumpkin).

Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKPEAS
1 lb (2 cups) dried chickpeas, picked over and soaked overnight in cold water
1 lg onion, quartered
1 cinnamon stick
A few cloves Olive oil Salt
Butter
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Chopped parsley

FOR THE TAGINE
About 4- lb pumpkin or winter squash, seeds and membranes removed
Salt and pepper
12 lg whole chicken legs (with thighs)
A 3″” piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and roughly ground
4 lg onions, diced sm
2 Tbsp olive butter
6 garlic cloves, sliced
Large pinch of saffron
Red pepper flakes or cayenne
oil
2 Tbsp

Harissa oil
makes about 1 cup
This is a fragrant, spicy, ruddy-colored oil, to be drizzled over any number of things-olives, eggs, vegetables, toasted bread, or chicken stew.
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
3 Tbsp sweet paprika or mild ground red chile
1 tsp cayenne or other powdered hot red chile
1 to 2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt
1 tsp salt
1 cup olive oil
A few drops of red wine vinegar

Directions
To cook the chickpeas, drain them, put in a saucepan, and cover with 3 quarts of water. Add the onion, cinnamon stick, cloves, a splash of olive oil, and a little salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently uncovered, for about an hour, or until the chickpeas are tender. Taste for salt and adjust. Leave the chickpeas to cool in the cooking liquid.

For the tagine, cut the pumpkin or winter squash into thick slices and spread them on a flat surface. Season the slices with salt and pepper.

Season the chicken legs generously with salt and pepper. Massage them with the grated ginger. Sprinkle the cumin seeds over the meat. Set the chicken aside.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced onions in a combination of butter and olive oil until softened. Season with salt and continue cooking until the onions are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the sliced garlic cloves. Crumble the saffron over the onions. Stir the onions and season to taste with red pepper.

Arrange the onions in a shallow earthenware casserole (or two if necessary), then top with the pumpkin slices. Now put chicken legs over the pumpkin in one layer, skin side up. Add 3 to 4- cups of chickpea cooking liquid, barely covering the chicken.

Cover the casserole and bake for 20 minutes or so, until the liquid is bubbling briskly. Reduce the heat to 375°F and continue cooking for another 30 minutes, or until the chicken legs yield easily to a probing fork. Take the casserole from the oven and remove the chicken legs. Skim any surfacing fat with a shallow ladle.

Replace the chicken legs and return the dish to the oven, uncovered. Bake until the juices are bubbling and the chicken legs are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Warm the chickpeas in their cooking liquid, then drain and deposit them in a warmed bowl. Swirl in a little butter, the cinnamon, and some chopped parsley.

Serve each diner a chicken leg with some pumpkin and good ladle of broth. Spoon some chickpeas over each serving. Pass a bowl of the spicy harissa oil for drizzling.

Make Harissa Oil. Toast all the seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until they are fragrant. Grind the toasted seeds in a mortar or spice mill, then put them in a bowl.

Add the paprika, red pepper, garlic, and salt. Stir in the olive oil and vinegar. The harissa will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Chicken Pie with Biscuit Crust

Servings: 4
Preheat: 450°
Source: Gourmet, January 1991

Ingredients
For the filling
4 cup chicken broth
3 carrots, cut crosswise into ¼”” slices
¾ lb red potatoes, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2″” pieces
2 lg ribs of celery, cut crosswise into ½”” pieces
2½ cup cubed cooked chicken (the meat from a 3 lb chicken)
1 onion, chopped
¾ stick (6 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ tsp dried thyme, crumbled
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
½ cup minced fresh parsley leaves

For the biscuit crust
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1½ tsp double-acting baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
2 Tbsp cold vegetable shortening, cut into bits
1/3 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 lg egg
about 1/3 cup buttermilk
an egg wash made by beating 1 lg egg yolk with 1 Tbsp milk

Directions
Make the filling:

In a saucepan bring the broth to a boil, add the carrots, the potatoes, and the celery, and simmer the vegetables, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender.

Transfer the vegetables with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, reserving the broth, and add the chicken to the bowl. In another saucepan cook the onion in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the flour, and cook the roux, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add 3 cups of the reserved broth in a stream, whisking, reserving any remaining broth for another use, and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking. Add the thyme and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, pour the sauce over the chicken mixture, and stir the mixture gently until it is just combined. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart shallow baking dish or divide it among four 2-cup shallow baking dishes. The filling may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Bring the mixture to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.

Make the biscuit crust:

Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt, add the butter and the shortening, and blend the mixture until it resembles meal.

Add the Cheddar and toss the mixture. Into a liquid measuring cup break the egg, add enough of the buttermilk to measure a total of ½ cup, and beat the mixture with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until the mixture just forms a dough, gather the dough into a ball, and on a floured surface pat it out ½ inch thick. Cut out as many rounds as possible with a 2-inch fluted round cutter dipped in flour, gathering the scraps and patting the dough out again in the same manner.

Arrange the rounds on the chicken mixture, brush the tops of the rounds with the egg wash, and prick the rounds with a fork. Bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 450°F oven for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are puffed and golden and the filling is bubbling.

Chicken Marsala with Pancetta & Cream

Servings: 2
Source: Fine Cooking Dec 2000/Jan 2001 last page
Chicken Marsala-a classic chicken cutlet preparation- is a main dish that’s ready literally in minutes. And while I’ve always liked chicken Marsala well enough — the cutlets get coated lightly with flour, sautéed, and the pan is deglazed with Marsala wine to make a sauce — it sometimes feels a little too one-dimensional. To jazz up this classic dish, I’ve added pancetta and a little cream. Both are quick additions, but they result in a richer, more deeply flavored dish.

You can buy packaged skinless, boneless chicken breasts that are already sliced very thin. If you don’t see any in the butcher’s case, ask the butcher to slice the chicken breasts for you. I often ask at supermarkets, and it’s never been a problem. (Of course, you can slice the chicken breasts yourself, but it will take you a few minutes.)

Pancetta is Italian bacon that, unlike American bacon, is not smoked. You used to have to go to an Italian deli or a specialty food store to find pancetta, but now it’s available in most supermarket delis. If you don’t see it, ask for it. I like to buy a thick slice and dice it myself, but sometimes you’ll find already packaged pancetta sliced very thin. That will work fine, too, and it will cook even faster.
After frying the pancetta, reserve the fat to cook the chicken breasts in — another flavor boost. And don’t forget to season the chicken before you flour it. Because the pancetta adds its own salty flavor, go light on the salt, but use ample freshly ground black pepper.

For the quickest dinner, serve the chicken with sautéed spinach and crusty bread. It’s also great with mashed potatoes and green beans blanched and then sautéed until browned in spots.

You can buy thin cutlets or ask your supermarket butcher to cut some for you. This recipe is easily doubled, but you’ll likely need to cook the chicken in batches.

Ingredients
Olive oil
2 oz. pancetta (about a ¼-inch thick slice), cut into a ¼-inch dice
Flour for dredging (about ½ cup)
4 thin chicken breast cutlets, about ½ lb. total
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper, preferably on the coarse side
½ cup dry Marsala wine
2 to 4 Tbs. heavy cream
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Directions
Coat a large skillet lightly with olive oil and set it over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crisp and lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon – leave the fat in the pan – and set aside.

Put the flour on a plate. Pat the cutlets dry. Season them on both sides lightly with salt and amply with pepper. Heat the skillet with the pancetta fat over medium high. Add more olive oil, if needed, to get about 2 Tbs. fat in the pan.

When the fat is hot, dredge a cutlet through the flour on both sides. Shake off the excess flour and immediately put the cutlet in the pan. Do the same with as many cutlets as will fit in the pan without touching. Sauté the cutlets, turning once, until browned on both sides; if thin, they should cook through in just a few minutes total. Transfer the cooked cutlets to a plate and continue sautéing the rest, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer these to the plate as well.
Pour off the excess fat. With the pan over medium-high heat, add the Marsala and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the Marsala is reduced by about a quarter. Stir in the cream and boil until you get a nicely thickened sauce. Return the chicken and pancetta to the pan and turn the cutlets over to coat. Let them reheat for 30 seconds to 1 min. Serve with the sauce and a sprinkling of parsley, if you like.

Chicken Alla Cacciatora

Servings: 4
Source: The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan
recipeNotes: If prepared ahead of time, let the chicken cool in its sauce. When reheating, simmer very slowly, covered, for a few minutes, just until the chicken is hot.

Ingredients
Frying chicken (2 ½ to 3 lb), cut into 4 to 6 pieces
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour, spread on a dinner plate or on waxed paper salt
Freshly ground pepper, 4 to 6 twists of the mill
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1 green pepper, with seeds removed, cut into thin strips
1 med carrot, sliced very thin
½ stalk celery, cut into thin strips
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped very fine
2/3 cup canned Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juice

(Note, I usually put more veges in)

Directions
1. Wash the chicken pieces in cold running water and pat dry very thoroughly with paper towels.

2. Choose a skillet large enough to contain all the chicken pieces comfortably, without crowding. Heat the oil in the skillet over moderately high heat. Turn the chicken pieces in the flour, coating both sides and shaking off the excess, and put in the skillet, skin side down. When one side has turned golden brown, turn the pieces over and brown the other side. When nicely browned on all sides, transfer them to a warm platter and add salt and pepper.

3. Tip the skillet and draw off most of the fat with a spoon. Turn the heat to high, add the wine, and boil rapidly until it is reduced by half. Scrape up and loosen any cooking residue in the pan. Lower the heat to medium, add the sliced onion, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring two or three times- Add the browned chicken pieces, -II but the breasts. (Breasts cook faster, so they can be added later.) Add the sliced pepper, carrot, celery, garlic, and the chopped tomatoes and their juice. Adjust to a slow simmer and cover. After 9 to 10 minutes add the breasts and continue cooking until tender, about 30 minutes. Turn and baste the chicken a few times while cooking.

4. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter. If the sauce in the pan is too thin, raise the heat to high and boil it briskly until it thickens, stirring as it boils. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

Servings: 4
Khao Soi-NORTHERN THAILAND

We’re told by friends in Chiang Mai, Thailand’s northern capital (see Chiang Mai, page 122), that this noodle dish is originally from the Shan State of Burma; others say it came with Muslim traders from Yunnan. Whatever the story, khao soi is now known as a Chiang Mai specialty. It’s an easy-to-make, very rich and delicious one-dish meal.

The broth that bathes the noodles is flavored with a little curry paste, turmeric, and garlic and is smooth and thick with coconut milk. Traditionally khao soi is made, as it is here, with beef; you can also make it with chicken.

The recipe calls for Chinese egg noodles, available from most Chinese groceries. They come in one-pound packages and are about lingaine width and pale yellow. The cooked noodles are placed in large individual bowls and the curry sauce is poured over them when the dish is served. Khao soi is usually topped with a small nest of crispy noodles, egg noodles that have been briefly deep-fried; they add a delightful contrasting texture. There is a small array of condiments traditionally served with khao soi; don’t worry if you don’t have pickled cabbage.

Ingredients
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
1″” piece fresh turmeric, minced, or 1 tsp ground turmeric
I tsp salt, plus a pinch
1 Tbsp Red Curry Paste (page 210 or store-bought)
1 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
3 cup canned or fresh coconut milk (see page 315), with ½ cup of the thickest milk set aside
½ lb boneless flavorful beef (sirloin tip or trimmed stewing beef), cut into ½”” chunks
1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup water
3 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Peanut oil for deep-frying noodles (optional)
1 lb Chinese egg noodles (bamee)

TOPPINGS AND CONDIMENTS
Fried noodle nests (optional; see below)
½ cup coarsely chopped shallots
½ cup minced scallions
½ cup Pickled Cabbage, Thai Style (page 311 or store-bought)
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions
Place the garlic in a mortar with the turmeric and the pinch of salt and pound to a paste. Alternatively, finely mince the garlic and whole turmeric, if using, and place the garlic and turmeric in a small bowl with the pinch of salt. Stir in the red curry paste and set aside.

Place a large heavy pot or wok over high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon oil and, when it is hot, toss in the curry paste mixture. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the reserved ½ cup thick coconut milk and lower the heat to medium- high. Add the meat and sugar and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the meat has changed color all over. Add the remaining 2½ cups coconut milk, the water, fish sauce, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook at a strong simmer for about i o minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. (The soup can be prepared up to an hour ahead, then reheated just before serving.)

Meanwhile, make the optional crispy noodles: Place a plate lined with several layers of paper towels by your stove. Place a large wok or heavy pot over high heat and add about 1 cup peanut oil, or 1/2 inch oil. When the oil is hot, drop in a strand of uncooked noodle to test the temperature. It should sizzle slightly as it falls to the bottom, then immediately puff and rise to the surface; adjust the heat slightly, if necessary. Toss a handful (about 1 cup) of noodles into the oil and watch as they puff up. Use a spatula or long tongs to turn them over and expose all of them to the hot oil. They will crisp up very quickly, in less than 1 minute. Lift the crisped noodles out of the oil and place on the paper towel-lined plate. Give the oil a moment to come back to temperature, and then repeat with a second handful of noodles. (The noodles can be fried ahead and left standing for several hours.)

To serve, bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil over high heat. Drop in the remaining noodles (or all noodles, if you didn’t make crispy noodles), bring back to a boil, and cook until tender but not mushy, about 6 minutes. Drain well.

Divide the drained noodles among four large bowls. Ladle over the broth and meat. Top with crispy noodles, if you have them, and a pinch each of shallots and scallions. Serve with the remaining condiments set out in small bowls so guests can garnish their soup as they wish. Provide each guest with chopsticks and a large spoon.

Carol and Norman’s Marinated Flank Steak

Servings: —

Ingredients
2 1/2 lb of flank steak–(I double the amount of meat and half again the marinade)

For the Marinade–
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp thyme
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp oriental chili sauce
1/4 cup teriyake sauce
For the Salad–
11/2 lb onions, julienned
3 lb of red, yellow, and some green peppers julienned ( I don’t use much green)
11/2 lb new red potatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced widthwise to 1/4 inch thickness
1 Tbsp rosemary
1 Tbsp salt
3/4 Tbsp pepper

For the Dressing–( I use about half of the dressing recipe that they call for_)
1/2 cup soy oil
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp rosemary
3/4 Tbsp minced garlic)

Directions
Trim flank steak, and cut across the grain into 4 inch wide pieces. Combine marinade ingredients and add flank steak, turning to coat well. Refrigerate overnight.

Spread onions, and peppers in a shallow pan in one layer (you will have to do several pans). Spread potatoes in another shallow pan in one layer ( again, more than one). Sprinkle rosemary, salt, and pepper over all. Put pans in a 400° oven. Remove onions and peppers after 15 minutes, potatoes after 20 minutes. Cool.

In a hot ungreased frying pan, cook flank steak).

Slice it diagonally against grain, 1/4 inch thick. ( We have grilled the steak instead of frying–either is fine).

Combine steak and vegetables.

Mix ingredients for the dressing. Pour and serve at room temperature.

Calabrese Pork Ragu with Fennel

Servings: 8
Source: Oct/Nov 2000 Fine Cooking
Pancetta, cured Italian bacon, is becoming available at many supermarkets; you’ll also find it at specialty stores and in Italian markets. Yields 8 cups of sauce, enough for about 1 lb. pasta; serves eight.

Ingredients
3 lb pork butt or shoulder (from about a 7 lb bone-in shoulder) or 3 lb packaged ground pork
1 lg yellow onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz pancetta, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 Tbsp whole fennel seeds, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
¾ cup tomato paste
1½ to 2 cup water
Unsalted butter,
½ Tbsp per serving; more to taste
1 lb pasta, cooked at dente
Freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions
If using pork shoulder or butt, cut off any skin and discard, and then cut the meat off the bone into chunks about 1 inch or so. In a food processor, pulse the pork in batches, about five times for a few seconds each time; set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 min. Add the garlic and crushed fennel and stir for about 2 min. Transfer to a large bowl.

Increase the heat to medium high. In the same pot, add just enough of the ground pork to make one layer. If using packaged ground meat, don’t crumble it; instead, break it into pieces (about 1 inch) to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat all over, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 min. Transfer the first batch of meat to the bowl and sear the remaining pork in batches, if necessary; add more olive oil as needed.

Return all the seared pork and the onion mixture to the pot. Add the sugar, oregano, bay leaf, red pepper, 2 tsp salt, and 1 ½ tsp pepper, and stir to combine. Pour in the wine to degiaze the pot, stirring up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by at least half. Add the tomato purée and tomato paste and bring the sauce to a boil (the mixture will be thick).

Add ½ cup of the water, reduce the heat, and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionsly, for 1½ to 2 hours. As it cooks, juices will evaporate; add the remaining water periodically, letting it reduce after each addition, to total 1½ to 2 cups. After 1½ hours, the meat should be tender and the flavors melded. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Immediately before serving, whisk ½ Tbsp butter per serving into the sauce and toss with the pasta. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan, if you like.