Pork Braciolette With Brown Rice Orecchiette
From Mario Batali [1]
Ingredients
- For Brown Rice Orecchiette Pasta:
3 cups brown rice, crushed in a coffee grinder to flour-like texture to yield 2 cups of brown rice flour
3/4 cup warm water
- For Pork Braciolette:
8 thin slices of leg or shoulder of pork, about 4-inches by 4-inches by 1/4-inch
8 (2-ounce) pieces monterey jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves plus 4 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons rice bran oil
1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red chile
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 cups crushed canned tomatoes
1 recipe brown rice orecchiette pasta
1 cup freshly grated hard pecorino
Directions
- To make brown rice orecchiette pasta: Place brown rice flour in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add water a little at a time, stirring with your hands until a dough is formed. You may need more or less water, depending on the humidity in your kitchen.
- Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead it like bread for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Roll dough into long dowels about 3-4-inch thick. Cut into flat disks about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick. Press center of each disk with thumb to form saucer-shaped pasta and set aside until ready to cook.
- To make pork braciolette: Bring 6 quarts water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.
- Using a meat mallet or cleaver blade, pat each pork piece until 1/16-inch thick. On to each pork piece place one slice of jack cheese. Mix cilantro and 2 tablespoons parsley and divide among 8 pieces of pork. Season with salt and pepper and roll like a burrito to form a little package. Tie each with 2 pieces of butcher twine.
- In a heavy bottom pot, heat olive oil until smoking. Brown pork pieces 4 at a time until deep golden brown all over and remove. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened and lightly browned. Add chilies, red wine vinegar and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and place meat in pan with sauce, submerging the meat halfway. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, or until pork is fork tender.
- Put orecchiette into boiling water and cook until al dente, about 6 to 7 minutes, and drain.
- Remove meat from sauce and toss orecchiette into sauce. Remove strings from meat. Pour orecchiette into a large serving bowl. Place meat on top, sprinkle with cheese and remaining parsley and serve.
Information
- Category
- Main Dishes, Pork
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Yield
- Serves 4