Allison Arevalo’s Pasta Friday movement — a weekly gathering with friends over bowls of pasta — started in her Rockridge home back in 2017. She’s now living in Brooklyn and her new cookbook, “The Pasta Friday Cookbook: Let’s Eat Together” (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $22), publishes on Sept. 17. The book features 52 unique pasta dishes, including this flavorful pappardelle.
The secret, she writes, is searing the pork, which yields a crispy texture to the meat and richness to the accompanying sauce. Arevalo says the recipe can accommodate two pounds of pasta — double what’s called for here — so if you’re cooking for a crowd, just add more pasta. If not, save the extra sauce for another meal.
Pappardelle with Roasted Pork and Mushrooms
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, cut into ½-inch strips
28-ounce can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes, drained, juices reserved for another use
1 pound fresh or dried pappardelle
Directions:
Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper. Heat half the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides, about 2 minutes per side or 12 minutes total, until a golden brown crust forms.
Cover the pot and transfer to the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 3 to 3½ hours, until the meat easily falls apart. Remove the pork from the oven and shred it with a fork. Give the shredded pork a good stir to cover the meat in all the juices. (The pork can be prepared to this point a day before serving. Cool to room temperature in the pot, then chill overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before reheating on the stove.)
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add the leeks and a sprinkle of salt, and sauté for about 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mushrooms start to brown and crisp. Add the tomatoes, gently breaking them into large pieces with your hands as you add them to the pot. Decrease the heat to low and simmer the sauce while you cook the pasta.
Fill a 6-quart pot with water. Bring it to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Add the pasta and stir. Cook until slightly firmer than al dente, 1 minute less than it says on the package. Watch it carefully, as pappardelle overcooks quickly!
While the pasta is cooking, pour the mushroom sauce into the pot with the pork and gently stir to combine. Taste for salt, adding more if needed. When the pasta is ready, use tongs to transfer it directly to the pot with the pork and gently toss. Pour onto a large platter and serve family-style with grated cheese.
— From “The Pasta Friday Cookbook: Let’s Eat Together” by Allison Arevalo (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $22)
