Three Pepper Pork Pasta Recipes

RIGATONI WITH PORK AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and add 3 large pinches of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and add rigatoni. Stir to prevent sticking, then cook until tender all the way through. Strain.
• Begin building the sauce in a large pan over medium heat. Start by adding olive oil and cook the pork for a few minutes. Stir every so often to break up the size of the ground pork - browning is a good thing.
• Season the pork as it cooks with a pinch of salt, fennel seeds, paprika, and cayenne. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add coconut sugar and 1 tsp salt and heat another minute.
• Slice the peppers and discard the stems (keep the seeds though). Layer the cherry tomtoes and peppers into the pan and stir. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the tomatoes and peppers are VERY tender and juicy.
• Add minced garlic and shave the Parmesan over the pan using a microplane or the small holes of a cheese grater. Then add the rigatoni and cover to steam the noodles a bit (2 minutes).
• Shave lemon zest and Pecorino Romano over the pasta in layers of 3. For example, shave a bit and cook 1 minute. Then stir. Shave some more, cook 1 minute. Then stir. Serve right away.

CREAMY PORK CARNITAS PASTA

Steps:

• Prepare seasoned carnitas according to package directions. Set aside. Bring water in a large pot to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.
• In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat add olive oil. Add peppers and saute until tender. Set aside on a plate.
• Add heavy cream, sour cream, parmesan cheese, chili powder, cumin, and paprika to the skillet. Whisk and let simmer until it starts to thicken. Add pork and peppers to the sauce and toss until coated and heated through.
• Serve with optional toppings.

THREE-PEPPER AND ONION SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook to al dente.
• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel seeds and stir for 1 minute, then add all the peppers and the onions. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. When the peppers and onions are tender, add the wine and stir for 30 seconds, then add the stock and tomatoes. Reduce the sauce for 7 to 8 minutes.
• Drain the pasta, drop it into the skillet, and toss it with the butter and the sauce. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl, sprinkle with a little cheese, top with the basil, and serve immediately.

PENNE WITH PORK RAGOUT

Steps:

• Dry the pork well and sprinkle it on all sides with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and the pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the pork on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the pork to a plate and set aside. While the pork is browning, tie the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf into a bundle using butcher's twine.
• Once all of the pork has been browned, reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil no oil remains in the pot. Add the onions and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until reduced to nearly dry, 6 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, Parmesan rind, chile flakes and the herb bundle and bring to a simmer. Return the pork to the pot, tucking it in under the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the pork is fork tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Remove the pork and shred into bite-size pieces using two forks. Remove the herb bundle from the sauce and add the pork back to the pot. Stir in the olive oil and half of the grated Parmesan. Keep warm over low heat.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne for about 1 or 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, about 2 minutes, adding a ladle of pasta water as needed. Serve topped with the remaining grated Parmesan, or more as desired, and a drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with a few leaves of baby arugula, if using.