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Pork Shoulder Sausage and Chestnut Ragù Pappardelle

Hey y'all! Hope you are all keeping well and sane. Hopefully this crazy epidemic will be behind us soon. I don't know about you, but being home has got me craving all sorts of comfort foods. Pasta is my weakness... and this recipe is everything.

It seems like a wintry dish, but being that it is still chilly here in the UK, it really hit the spot.

I find pork rather light all year round. Give this delicious pasta dish a try, you won't regret it.

Enjoy xoxo



Pork Shoulder Sausage and Chestnut Ragù Pappardelle

Serves 4

1-1/2 Hours if using my brine for tenderising meat

2-1/2 Hours if not using brine


500 g. Pork shoulder, cubed and brined

Drain brine, rinse and pat dry.

500 g. Italian style sausage, casings removed and crumbled

500 g. Egg Pappardelle pasta

350 g. Canned chopped tomatoes, drained

180 g. Chestnuts, ready peeled, cooked and roughly chopped

500 ml. Pork or veal stock

150 ml. Dry red wine

60 ml. Extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. Lard, optional, but phenomenal

5 Garlic cloves, chopped or minced, your choice

2 Bay leaves

1 Onion, diced

1 Carrot, peeled and cubed

1 Celery rib, diced

1 Lemon, juice only

1 tsp. Sweet paprika, Pimentón dulce de laVera

1/4 tsp. Fennel seeds

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Crushed red chilli flakes to serve, optional

Grated Grana Padano cheese to serve


  1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan on high heat, add olive oil and lard, if using.

  2. Add pork and sausage, season with a bit of salt, and brown meat. About 3-4 minutes.

  3. Lower heat to medium and add onions, garlic, bay leaves. Sweat the onions for a minute whilst stirring. Add paprika, fennel, some black pepper and lemon juice. Stir to incorporate.

  4. Add tomatoes, wine, and stock. Cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours on low heat, if pork shoulder was brined. If not brined, it will take 2-1/2 hours on low or until meat is fork tender.

  5. Can be made ahead up until this point, cool and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

  6. Gently reheat when ready to serve.

  7. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente.

  8. Meanwhile, add chestnuts to pork. Keep warm.

  9. Drain pasta and reserve a little bit of the cooking water. About 125 ml.

  10. Add pasta to pork ragù. Stir to combine.

  11. Divide among 4 pasta plates and serve with grated cheese and crushed red chilli flakes...delish!









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