Sicilian Pork Ragu (Sciabbó)
Sicilian Pork Ragu, aka Sciabbó, is an incredibly simple but comforting pasta that combines tender shreds of pork braised in a tomato red wine sauce and finished with cocoa powder and cinnamon. Tossed with pappardelle, this dish is one you'll make on repeat!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 pound pappardelle
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder trimmed of exterior skin and cut into large chunks
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine chianti, cabernet, etc
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- sugar optional, to taste
- 2 cups reserved pasta water will most likely not need all of it
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and move racks to make enough room to accommodate a large Dutch oven pot in the middle of the oven.
- Heat a heavy pot or Dutch oven to medium heat with the olive oil. Pat the pork dry and season well with salt and pepper on all sides. Sear the pork until brown on all sides, then remove the pork to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the onion to the pot along with a pinch of salt and saute until soft. Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes. Turn down the heat or add a splash of water if the paste starts to burn. Add the wine and turn the heat to high. Reduce by half then add the tomatoes to the pot and bring the sauce to a boil.
- Turn off the heat and add the pork back to the pot. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 2 hours. After 2 hours, check for tenderness. If the pork is near tender, return the pot back to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Remove the ragu from the oven. Degrease the sauce if an excess amount of fat has risen to the top. Using a meat masher or wooden spoon, break the pork into smaller pieces. Mix in the cinnamon and cocoa powder. Taste test and season with more salt and pepper as required. Add a bit of sugar, if needed, to balance out the flavor.
- Cook the pasta to 1 minute less than al dente.
- Place 4 cups of the ragu into a large pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the pasta to the pan and mix well to coat. If the ragu is too dry, add more of the ragu and a bit of pasta water to loosen it up. Once the pasta reaches al dente, remove the pan from the heat. Serve with extra ragu on the side and with grated pecorino or parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings. Makes 6 moderate or 4 large servings.
- Pork. For a quicker version, use ground pork and reduce the wine amount to only a 1/2 cup. The ragu only needs to be simmered on the stovetop for 30-45 minutes.
- Cocoa powder and cinnamon. Both of these ingredients can be overpowering so it's best to start with the stated amounts and add more to your personal taste.
- Sugar. Sugar might be needed to balance out the rich flavor. Use a touch at a time until you are satisfied or omit completey.
- Make ahead. Making the pork ragu 24 hours in advance and refrigerating overnight will yield even better flavor. If doing so, you can remove some of the fat that will rise to the top with a spoon after being chilled.
- Leftovers. Sicilian pork ragu can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave. The leftover ragu can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 872kcal | Carbohydrates: 80.1g | Protein: 41.1g | Fat: 41.6g | Saturated Fat: 13.3g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 296mg | Fiber: 10.6g | Sugar: 4.5g | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 9mg
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