As with all ragus and slow-cooked pasta sauces, I suggest making double the quantity and freezing the other half.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion
1 tbsp fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
500g pork mince
700ml tomato passata
½ cup white wine
2 bay leaves
500g dried casarecce
25g butter
parmesan cheese, to serve
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil and onion. Fry the onion for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Add the fennel seeds and garlic and fry for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the pork mince and fry until lightly browned, then add the passata, white wine and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes or so until the sauce is thickened to a consistency you like.
2. Cook the casarecce in boiling salted water until it's al dente. Add the casarecce and butter to the sauce, plus 2 tablespoons of the pasta water, and stir over medium heat until well combined. Serve the pasta with parmesan cheese and ground black pepper.
Also try: Adam Liaw's caramelised fennel salad
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