Pork Ragu with Herbed Ricotta

SLOW COOKER PORK RAGU 💫 my husband’s family is Italian and often times makes a Sunday sauce filled with sausage, pork chops, and meatballs. It’s unbelievably good and the last time I made it, I used pork butt instead of pork chops and found myself looking forward to the bites of shredded pork the most! It inspired this pork ragu, which cooks in the slow cooker for 8 to 10 hours, and requires almost no effort. I find that @carbonefinefood or @raoshomemade marinara sauce is as good as any I make, so I take a shortcut and use that instead of making my own. The ragu is tossed with rigatoni, and then topped with some herbed ricotta, which brings a bright, fresh and creamy element to the dish. You are going to put this on your rotation! In fact, you should go get all of the ingredients right now and make it for Sunday supper tonight!

Feeds 8-10

Cook the amount of pasta you want, and freeze any extra ragu! One batch made enough for about 1.5 lb of pasta with generous portions.

4 pound pork butt

Kosher Salt

2 jars of marinara sauce (I am currently in a @carbonefinefood kick)

1.5 pounds rigatoni pasta

2 cups whole-milk ricotta

1/2 cup chopped soft fresh herbs, such as chives, oregano, parsley or basil, or mint (I used parsley and mint)

Zest of one lemon

1/4 cup lemon juice

Flaky salt

Trim pork butt of all large hunks of fat and cut into 2” x 2” cubes. You can also ask your butcher to do this! Salt it generously.

Place meat in a slow cooker and top with two jars of marinara sauce. Cook over low 8-10 hours. When the time is up, it will shred easily just by pushing it to the side of your slow cooker.

Cook pasta in heavily salted water according to box direction for al dente, reserving 1.5 cups of pasta water.

While the pasta cooks make the herbed ricotta. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, chopped herbs, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and stir together until combined. Season with salt if needed.

Once pasta has been drained, toss it in a large pot with ragu, then add pasta water gradually until everything is clinging together and glossy.

Plate the pasta and top with a few spoonfuls of the ricotta. Sprinkle with flaky salt, some more chopped herbs and serve.