Ever read something that just sticks with you,
years and years later??  Don't know when, but, I remember a cover shot of an old Saveur Magazine (please don't ask
me what issue, it was from years ago) that showed a simmering pot of sauce/gravy...It was part of the story on
Sardinian food...and the sauce was a slow simmered pork rich tomato gravy that traditionally was served over a local
pasta called MALOREDDUS.  Meaning little calves in the Sardinian dialect, these gnocchetti were colored with
saffron..a little food history here...Sardinia is an Italian island that lies in the Mediterranean by Corsica..the island
at any given time was controlled by the Spanish, French, Italians, you name it...pretty common history of all those
islands.  I will venture a foodie guess that the saffron is a holdover from the days when the Spanish ruled since
it is a common ingredient of their cooking and doesn't really factor in most regional Italian cuisines.  The maloreddus
are very much like a cavatelli/gnocchi fusion.
    These are maloreddus...ok you may be saying..where do you buy these?  Google it.  They
are a real specialty item and not common in the mainstream Italian delis.  If you can find them, get them, if not, for this
dish, substitute mini penne rigate, cavatelli, trofie...The genesis of this meal came when I was thinking about what to
cook tonight for a family of friends that were coming over for the day.  A few days ago I looked in the fridge and saw a
pork roast, 4lb. boneless piece.  Since the average temperature this week on the Jersey Shore is hotter than a date
with J-Woww and Snookie I decided that the oven would not be put to use at all.  Maybe cut the meat into cutlets and
do a milanese style with an arugula and tomato onion salad on top?  Too much mess and frying for these 100
degree days so somehow the scanner in my brain accessed the file called : remember that slow simmered pork
ragu' from Sardinia in that old issue of Saveur.  I downloaded it immediately and began making it.  This nanosecond
thinking did not allow me the luxury of going out to the store or looking online for maloreddus, cavatelli, or trofie.
I opened the pantry and the Penette Rigate were staring me in the face...DING...winner winner chicken dinner.
They had ridges, like maloreddus, and they were the same size, more or less.  So, I used a 1lb of them for the
dish.

This is a slow cooking sauce so make it the day before serving it.  It takes 3 hours to cook, and then must sit overnight
to develop more flavor.  Cooking it too quickly will not break apart the meat properly and it will taste good, but like any
other typical tomato gravy with pork in it.  Be patient and be rewarded. It is a rich winey sauce that is markedly different
from most sauces.  Start by rubbing the 4lb. boneless pork roast with LOTS of salt and pepper and a clove of garlic.
Make sure there is some fat still on the roast.  Let it sit.  In a dutch oven, heat 2 tbs. of olive oil and bring to medium
heat.  Sear the roast on all sides for 7 minutes per side to develop a deep brown crunchy coating.


When all sides are sufficiently browned, add 1 large onion, diced and let this saute' for 8 minutes.  Add salt and
pepper, stir.  Then add 2 cups of a good strong red wine.  Here's where the sauce differs from so many others.
Let this cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.  Then add 1 tsp. dried oregano which you have rubbed between the
palms of your hands.  Then add 2 cans of San Marzano tomatoes which you have crushed with your hands.  Add 1/2
can of water.  Mix and bring to a boil.   Add small piece of prosciutto rind. Then reduce the heat to simmer and let this
cook for 2 hours. Stir
occasionally so it  does not burn or stick. Add a few fresh basil leaves.


Can you detect the darkening of the sauce?  After 2 hours, with a wooden spoon, see if you can break the pork
roast in half, if yes..do it and let it cook for 1/2 hour more. If not, cook for 1/2 hour more then try again.  When you
get to that point,  with 2 forks shred/break apart the pork into pieces..it should shred for you like a piece of
pulled pork.  Do the whole piece then stir well.  Add 1 can of tomato paste and 3 cans of water, and let this cook
for an additional 1/2 hour.  When done, cover, cool, and refrigerate for the next day.
   Look at that color!!!  Look at the meat in the sauce!!! 
Make a pound of the pasta, in this case, the Mini Penne Rigate from Barilla...nice texture and size.  Heat up the
sauce by adding 1/8 cup of the red wine again and stir well,  Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes.
Drain the pasta and place it in a large serving bowl.  Add 1 cup of pecorino sardo if you can find it, or Locatelli
Pecorino romano, grated.  Some freshly ground black pepper and mix well.
   Stop here for a moment, and let me introduce you to the
Roman dish, Pasta con Cacio e Pepe...isn't food wonderful!!  so schizophrenic these pasta dishes,  sometimes there
Penne with Sardinian Ragu' and sometimes their the Roman Pasta con Cacio e Pepe...but, i digress....sauce this
with just enough sauce to cover and toss well, add more if you like.  Don't drown the pasta in gravy...

  This is a rich and porky dish, serve extra pecorino
on the side, maybe a jar of chile flakes too...Another pasta sauce and dish for your recipe files...filed under "REALLY
GOOD".