Author: story of a kitchen (adapted from Food & Wine magazine)
Recipe type: pasta
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 celery rib, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, cut into thin strips (Cubed pancetta works great also.)
⅓ cup finely chopped mint
1 pound fatty ground pork*
½ cup pine nuts, toasted (Blanched slivered almonds are a fair substitute.)
½ cup coarsely chopped pitted Calamata olives (very salty)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup dry white wine
¾ pound to 1 pound campanelle** (or other pasta -- shells or farfelle work well)
½ cup to ¾ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (depending on your love of cheese and saltiness)
Instructions
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion, celery, garlic, pancetta and 3 tablespoons of the mint. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the pancetta is slightly crisp, about 6 minutes.
Push the onion mixture to the side of the skillet (I actually move mine to another plate to prevent burning). Add the pork and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pinenuts and olives, season with salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add the wine; simmer over moderate heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. (Sometimes I let it go for longer.)
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain well. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Mix in the cheese. Serve the pasta in bowls, sprinkled with the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint and serve with more cheese, if needed.
Notes
* I've tried this with the low fat pork -- don't do it! It was like eating rope. The fatty pork really makes this a better dish.
** I use ¾ to 1 pound uncooked pasta in this dish, depending on how juicy the wine reduction is.
Recipe by story of a kitchen at https://www.storyofakitchen.com/pasta-recipes/pasta-pork-mint/