March 23, 2005 - Joanne

Montebello Penne Rigate (Whole Foods Artisan Brand from Marche, IT)**
1.5 lbs of Berkshire Ground Pork
1 cup of seasoned croutons smashed **
½ of grated Gran Padano cheese

Wild Boar and Pork Sausage from D’Artagnan (optional)

1 Jar of Dean & Deluca Vodka Sauce
1 16 oz can of Whole tomatoes (Muir Glen)
1 cup of water

More Gran Padano to finish

Preheat Oven to 375°F.

Brown Wild boar sauage and set aside. Combine about 1 pound of the Berkshire Pork with the Smashed Croutons and Grated Cheese, then roll into meatballs - there will be chunks of bread/crouton in the meatball - that's OK. In a hot frying pan brown meatballs on 2 sides (flatten them slightly) and then transfer to a gratin dish and bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted reads 160 or higher (to your taste).

Meanwhile brown the remaining ground pork in a stock pot or large sauté pan. When the meat is brown remove it and drain off any remaining fat. Add the jar of tomato sauce, the whole tomatoes (remove stem end and crush with your fingers or rough chop them) and the juice from the can and the water. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Bring a large stockpot of salted water for the pasta to a boil. When it boils add the pasta to the pot. Then add the ground pork and the sausage back to the sauce along with the meatballs if you wish. When the pasta is ready drain and add to the sauce pot. Stir to coat pasta well and serve topped with curls of Gran Pandano.


Optional: add 1 bunch of cooked and well drained spinach to the sauce before adding the pasta.

Optional: add chunks of good quality mozzarella (or buffalo mozzarella) to the sauce just before adding the pasta.

** Update July 2005 - I've tried this recipe with day old good quality bread (we used Della Fattoria's Meyer Lemon & Rosemary) cut into small pieces and it works great! We've also used Latini Penne and it's great as well.

   

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