Maccheroni al Sugo di Maiale
Maccarruna cu sucu di maiale·(mak-kah-roo-nah koo soo-koo dee mah-yah-leh)
Il Sugo della Domenica: The Sacred Sunday Supper
Forget the hodgepodge of meatballs and beef you know as 'Sunday Gravy'—a proper pork sauce doesn't require surrendering your entire weekend to babysitting a heavy Dutch oven. Beyond the country-style pork ribs and fennel sausage simmering in a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes for forty-five minutes, the sauce relies on the sharp, woody heat of whole cloves and a pinch of cinnamon. Make this thick, glossy ragù on a lazy Sunday, stash it in the fridge, and let it save your life on a busy Tuesday night. Feed the people.
Ingredients
- bone-in pork spare ribs or baby back ribs1 lb
- sweet Italian pork sausage1 lb
- salt pork or thick unsmoked pancetta4 oz
- extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- carrot1 large
- celery stalk1 med
- garlic cloves2 med
- dry red wine1/2 cup
- double-concentrated tomato paste2 tbsp
- tomato puree28 oz
- crushed tomatoes14 oz
- dried bay leaves2 small
- whole cloves2 small
- ground cinnamon1/8 tsp
- sugar1 tsp
- kosher saltto taste
- black pepperto taste
- dried bucatini, cavatappi, or rigatoni1 lb
- Pecorino Romano or Caciocavallo cheeseto taste
Method
- 01
Sear the meats.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork ribs, sausages, and salt pork. Sear until they have a deep, golden-brown crust on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Don't rush this; those browned bits are your flavor foundation. Remove the meats to a plate and leave the rendered fat in the pot.
- 02
Build the soffritto.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery directly into the hot pork fat. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until very soft and translucent, then toss in the smashed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- 03
Deglaze and concentrate.
Pour in the red wine, violently scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by half until the harsh smell of raw alcohol burns off. Stir in the tomato paste, letting it cook and darken slightly for about 2 minutes.
- 04
Simmer the sauce.
Return the meats and any resting juices to the pot. Pour in the tomato puree and crushed tomatoes, then add the bay leaves, whole cloves, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately drop the heat to your lowest possible setting. Cover with the lid slightly ajar.
- 05
Give it time.
Let it barely simmer—a slow, lazy bubbling the Italians call 'pippiare'—for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes. It's done when the pork ribs are completely tender and falling off the bone, and the sauce is a thick, glossy brick-red.
- 06
Serve the Sicilian way.
Discard the bay leaves and cloves. You can serve the meat on a separate platter as a second course, or shred the rib meat and slice the sausage back into the sauce. Toss your al dente pasta vigorously with enough sauce to coat every noodle, and serve immediately under a heavy shower of grated cheese.
Notes
The Next-Day Dividend.
Like all great braises, this sauce is infinitely better the next day. Make the whole pot on a Sunday, let the flavors deepen in the fridge overnight, and you’ll have a world-class, deeply comforting dinner ready in the 15 minutes it takes to boil pasta on a Tuesday.