Milk-Braised Pork Pasta (Maiala al Latte Ragù)
If you make one cozy pasta this fall, make it this one. Pork shoulder braises low and slow in whole milk and white wine until it's so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork, then gets shredded right into a silky, savory ragù. Toss it with ruffled mafaldine and broccoli rabe, then pile on the walnut-lemon gremolata (and creamy burrata, if you like things extra!). Trust me, you'll be scraping the pot.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 605kcal
Equipment
Liquid measuring cup
Plate or rimmed tray
Paper towels
Ingredients
For the Ragù
- 2½ - 3 lb (1.1 - 1.4kg) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 2-inch (5cm) chunks
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced, about 1½ cups
- 2 large carrots, diced, about 1 cup
- 2 celery stalks, diced, about 1 cup
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 cup (240ml) dry white wine, something good enough to drink (I like a Pinot Blanc here)
- 3 cups (720ml) whole milk
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ~20 fresh sage leaves
- 8 oz (227g) cremini, baby bella, or shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
For the Pasta
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, about 1 lb / 454g
- 1 lb (454g) dried mafaldine or a short, ridged pasta
For Serving
- ½ cup (50g) walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (10g) flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (15g) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- 2 tsp lemon zest, from 1 medium lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, grated (optional - omit if you’re sensitive to raw garlic)
- High-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 8oz burrata cheese, room temperature
Instructions
- Season and rest the pork. Pat the pork chunks dry, then generously season on all sides with 2-3 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Let the pork sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while you prep the veggies. Tie the thyme and rosemary sprigs together with kitchen twine.
- Sear the pork. Heat 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil and 1 Tbsp (14g) butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, sear the pork in batches until deeply browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. Turn the heat down to medium. Add diced onion, carrots, celery, and smashed garlic to the same pot. Season with about ½ tsp kosher salt, then sauté, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until soft and the onion is translucent.
- Deglaze. Pour in 1 cup (240ml) of white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until reduced by about half, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the milk. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in 3 cups (720ml) whole milk, then add 2 dried bay leaves, the thyme-rosemary bundle, and the loose sage leaves. Bring to a bare simmer.
- Braise. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Simmer gently for 2½-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pork shreds easily with a fork.
- Sauté the mushrooms. While the pork braises, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp (14g) butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms. Toss, then cook another 3-4 minutes until caramelized. Set aside.
- Blanch the broccoli rabe. Also during the braise, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and set up a large bowl of ice water. Trim about 1 inch (2.5cm) from the rabe stems. Blanch for 3 minutes until bright green and just tender, then move it straight into the ice bath with tongs or a spider. Keep the pot of water at a simmer, since you’ll cook the pasta in it. Once the rabe is cool, squeeze out as much water as you can, then chop it into bite-size pieces. Squeeze hard here: any water left in the broccoli rabe will thin the sauce.
- Shred and combine. Remove the herb bundle and bay leaves. The sage leaves can stay, because they soften into the sauce. Use two forks to shred the pork directly into the sauce then fold in the mushrooms. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Make the gremolata. In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup chopped walnuts, ⅓ cup chopped parsley, ⅓ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 tsp grated lemon zest, 1 clove of grated garlic (optional), and a pinch of kosher salt. Set aside.
- Toss and serve. Return the blanching water to a boil and cook the mafaldine until just shy of al dente, 1-2 minutes under the package time. It will finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve 1 cup (240ml) pasta water then drain. Add the pasta and broccoli rabe to the ragù and toss over low heat, adding a couple splashes of pasta water until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the ruffles. Divide among bowls and top with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and generous spoonfuls of the gremolata. As always with pasta, I like to finish with a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, a pinch or two of flaky sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
Tip: Do not panic if the milk looks curdled. That’s expected, and those caramelized milk curds cook down into the rich base for the ragù.
Alternatively, you can wait until the pork is cool enough to handle, then use your hands to pull it. To do this, simply transfer the pork from the sauce to a plate, then add it directly back to the pot as you pull the meat.
Notes
- Burrata: Optional, but cool, creamy burrata on top is highly recommended. Not included in nutritional information.
- Make ahead: Braise, shred, and combine up to 3 days ahead; flavors deepen overnight. Cook pasta and blanch rabe fresh to serve.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate tossed pasta airtight up to 3 days; store gremolata separately.
- Freeze: Freeze the ragù (no pasta or rabe) up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: Warm gently over low heat with a splash of milk or pasta water until glossy.
Nutrition
Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 1191mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3798IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 3mg
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