Pappardelle with pork & rosemary ragù

SERVES 6 PREP + COOK TIME 3 HOURS 50 MINUTES

2kg boneless pork shoulder

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 large leek, white part only, sliced thinly

1 medium carrot, chopped finely

1 large bulb fennel, trimmed, sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups (500ml) dry white wine

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock

3 bay leaves

4 sprigs rosemary

½ cup (120g) mascarpone

500g dried wide pappardelle

¼ cup (40g) pine nuts

To serve: finely grated parmesan

1 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Season pork, then cut into 8cm pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy-based casserole dish over medium heat. Cook pork, in batches, until browned on all sides; setting each batch aside in a bowl. Add leek, carrot, fennel and garlic to pan; cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes or until vegetables start to soften.

2 Add wine to leek mixture; simmer until reduced by half. Add stock, bay leaves and half the rosemary. Return all pork to the pan; bring to the boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours. Remove lid; return to oven, cook, uncovered, for a further 1 hour or until pork is very tender. Discard bay leaves and rosemary stalks.

3 Stir in mascarpone. Cover over low heat, breaking the pork up with tongs.

4 Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook pappardelle, following packet directions until al dente. Drain; toss with a little more of the olive oil and keep warm.

5 Heat remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the leaves from remaining rosemary sprigs and the pine nuts; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until pine nuts are golden and rosemary is crisp. Drain on paper towel.

6 Divide pappardelle among bowls. Top with pork ragù, rosemary and pine nut topping, and parmesan to serve.