Italian Pork and Fennel Ragu
My classic Italian Pork and Fennel Ragu recipe is rich, flavoursome and truly delicious. Made in under half an hour it’s the perfect topping for fresh pappardelle.
Today’s recipe is the sort of recipe I love: maximum flavour, minimum effort.
Rich and flavoursome Italian Pork and Fennel Ragu tastes like you’ve been slaving over a hot stove for hours, yet it takes under half an hour from switching on the stove to sitting down to eat. (my kinda recipe!)
The secret to a speedy Ragu
The secret is using coarse, country-style pork sausages instead of plain ground pork. Because sausages are already pre-seasoned, they add a huge whack of flavour to the dish, saving you hours of cooking time.
This is a popular and traditional method of making a quick, delicious ragu here in Northern Italy.
Which sausages should I use to make Ragu?
I’m glad you asked! It’s important to use the coarsest, Italian-style sausages you can find with high meat content.
If your local supermarket doesn’t have any, consider visiting your local butcher who may make or source them for you.
What should I serve with pork and fennel ragu?
I’ve made some fabulous, fresh pappardelle this morning for this pasta, so if you want to go the extra mile, why not serve it with my super easy fresh homemade pasta recipe. Otherwise, it tastes great with any dried or fresh pasta.
Naturally a full bodied Italian red wine like Chianti is the perfect wine match for this meal.
A note on fennel seeds
When you’re buying fennel seeds, look for seeds that have still a tinge of pale, mint green, they will be fresher with much better flavour.
I tend to avoid buying herbs and spices at the supermarket if at all possible as they’ve generally been sitting round for ages.
For the freshest, tastiest herbs and spices, visit an Indian or Turkish grocer, not only will the spices be fresher, they’ll likely be cheaper as well.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I can’t get fresh pappardelle (or any pappardelle!) what can I use instead?
Fresh homemade pasta! Trust me, its super easy! If you don’t fancy making it yourself, any dried pasta will do, though don’t use spaghetti. For a full meal, I usually cook 100g-125g dried pasta per person.
What do you mean by country-style sausages?
For this ragu to be extra delicious, you need high meat content, coarsely ground sausages. Anything that is finely ground or more of a luncheon sausage texture will not work as well here.
Can I use other types of sausages or just mince?
I think this recipe would work well with lamb sausages, I’d swap the fennel for oregano though and maybe crumble over a little tangy feta cheese.
Minced pork or beef will work but sausages are what makes this recipe quick as they are pre-seasoned. If you are cooking with minced meat you’ll need a longer cooking time and to season more generously. Use a 500g (1 lb.) pack of pork mince.
Why is there sugar in this recipe?
Good question! I find, unless you are using very expensive, high-grade tinned tomatoes (I don’t!) that they are often a little on the sour side (they’re preserved with citric acid) and need some help. Feel free to leave it out, or substitute with 2 tsp tomato paste.
Italian Pork and Fennel Ragu
My classic recipe for Pork and Fennel Ragu is rich, flavoursome and truly delicious. Made in under half an hour it’s the perfect topping for fresh pappardelle.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 Italian-style pork sausages, skin removed
- 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
- 125 ml red wine
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 700 ml bottle of passata (pureed tomatoes)
- 1 tsp sugar
- sea salt and black pepper
to serve:
- 400 g fresh pappardelle pasta
- 75 g Parmesan, grated
Instructions
- COOK THE SAUSAGES: Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, crumble in the sausages, breaking them up with your fingers as you go. Add the garlic, fennel, rosemary and chilli flakes to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage meat as finely as possible, and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until the sausage begins to colour.
- ADD THE LIQUIDS: Mix the wine with the balsamic vinegar and pour into the pan. Allow to simmer for 1 minute, the add the tomato passata and sugar. Season with black pepper, give it all a good stir, then simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the ragu is thick and rich. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper if necessary.
- COOK THE PASTA: Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle in a large pot of boiling salted water until al-dente. With fresh pasta, this only takes a few minutes, dried pasta up to 10 minutes. When the pasta is cooked but still has a little bite, drain into a colander, rinse with cold running water, then toss with a little olive oil and set aside.
- SERVE: When the ragu is cooked, toss well with the pasta and divide between four warmed plates. Sprinkle over the Parmesan and serve. This is lovely with a simple rocket/arugula salad and a Italian style red wine, a Chianti or Primitivo would be perfect.
Notes
You can replace the passata with a can of tomatoes and half a can of water. Use whole peeled tomatoes and either give them a whizz in the food processor, or chop them directly in the can with a pair of clean scissors.
I add a little bit of sugar to this dish as tomatoes are often preserved with citric or ascorbic acid to keep them fresh and colourful. If you don’t mind this, go ahead and omit the sugar.
Recommended Equipment
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 1107kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 219mg | Sodium: 1543mg | Potassium: 1044mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 702IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 320mg | Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
