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Cavatelli con ragu' di maiale

Cavatelli al Ragù di Maiale Recipe

A hearty simmer brings out a rich, rounded taste in Cavatelli al Ragù di Maiale, turning simple ingredients into a warming pasta bowl.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 4
Author: Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

  • 1 batch of cavatelli
  • 300 g – 10.5 oz pork schnitzels
  • 300 g – 10.5 oz Italian pork sausages
  • 300 g – 10.5 oz pork spare ribs – trimmed
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ onion
  • 1 garlic clove – chopped
  • 1 dried red chilli OR ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 l – ¼ gallon tomato purée (passata)
  • 250 ml – 1 cup water
  • salt and pepper – to taste
  • 1½ tbsp parsley – chopped
  • Pecorino Romano – thinly grated, to serve

Instructions

  1. Put the chopped garlic and 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley on the pork schnitzels. Roll them up like a large involtino and tie them with kitchen string to form the braciole. Set them aside.

  2. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pot. Add the half onion, pork spare ribs, and sausages, then sauté over medium–high heat for a few minutes to lightly brown the meat.
  3. Add the chilli, tomato passata, and water, and bring everything to a boil. Add the braciole, season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook over low heat for at least 1 hour. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavour will be, so stir occasionally and add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick.
  4. When the sauce is ready, remove the meat and set it aside.

  5. Cook the cavatelli until al dente.

    Note: Fresh pasta does not have a fixed cooking time. The exact timing depends on the thickness of the dough and whether the pasta has dried slightly. The best way to check is to taste it as it cooks. It should remain pleasantly firm.

  6. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, transfer it to a frying pan, and add the pork sauce. Sauté over medium heat for about a minute so the flavours come together and the sauce coats the pasta.
  7. Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of Pecorino Romano and the remaining chopped parsley.

Recipe Notes

Chop some of the cooked meat and mix it with the pasta if you like, especially the sausage. The remaining meat can be served separately or kept for another meal.