Spicy Pork Baked Ziti With Ragu

May 10, 2023May 10, 20230 13
Spicy Pork Baked Ziti With Ragu
in Pasta

Prep

30 min

Cook

2 hours and 30 min

Ready In

3 hours

Level

Difficult

Rating

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars
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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta , chopped
2 lbs pork shoulder , cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
1 lb hot Italian sausage , casings removed
2 cups chopped onions
3/4 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
6 large fresh thyme sprigs
6 large garlic cloves , chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper
2 cups dry red wine
1 can plum tomatoes with juice , tomatoes chopped , juice reserved
1 1/4 lbs ziti pasta
2 cups coarsely mozzarella cheese , about 8 ounces
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Nutrision Information

Servings Per Recipe
10
Calories
679
Sugar
7g
Fat
42g
Spicy Pork Baked Ziti with Ragu is an Italian-American classic that is beloved for its rich and comforting flavors. The dish combines pork shoulder, hot Italian sausage, and pancetta in a slow-simmered tomato sauce that is then tossed with ziti pasta and topped with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese before baking until golden and bubbly. This meal is perfect for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week ahead.

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 375°F.
2.Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes.
3.Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to large bowl. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.
4.Working in batches, add pork to pot and sauté over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch.
5.Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to bowl with pancetta.
6.Add sausage to same pot. Sauté over medium-high heat until browned, breaking up with back of spoon, about 8 minutes.
7.Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl with pork.
8.Add onions, carrot, celery, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper to same pot; sauté until vegetables are soft and browned, about 17 minutes.
9.Add wine; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits.
10.Add tomatoes with juice; bring to boil, stirring occasionally.
11.Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until pork is tender and sauce is thick, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.
12.Remove bay leaves from pork mixture and discard.
13.Cook ziti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally.
14.Drain pasta thoroughly; return to same pot.
15.Add pork mixture to pasta; toss to blend well.
16.Transfer mixture to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
17.Sprinkle cheese over pasta.
18.Bake pasta uncovered until heated through and cheese melts, about 30 minutes.
19.Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

PROS

The combination of pork, sausage and pancetta gives this dish a hearty and rich flavor that is sure to satisfy cravings for comfort food.
The spice level can be adjusted to your preferences, and the addition of fresh thyme and garlic gives it a delicious aromatic quality.

CONS

This dish is high in calories and fat, and may not be ideal for those with high cholesterol or heart disease.
It is also time consuming to prepare, taking around 2 hours to simmer the pork and sauce.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

Despite its high calorie and fat content, this dish provides a good source of protein and contains beneficial antioxidants found in tomatoes and garlic. Additionally, spices like crushed red pepper and thyme have been linked to improved digestion and reduced inflammation in the body.

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