Smoky Pork Pappardelle

• Recipe by Gerard Craft

For the luscious meat sauce here, Gerard Craft braises pork with apples and honey, which adds some unexpected sweetness. Another surprise: He finishes the pasta with a sprinkling of smoked salt.

Ingredients

1. One 2-pound piece of boneless pork shoulder
2. Smoked sea salt
3. 2 tablespoons canola oil
4. 1 Granny Smith apple, cut into 1-inch dice
5. 1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch dice
6. 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch dice
7. 1 celery rib, cut into 1-inch dice
8. 2 garlic cloves, crushed
9. 3 thyme sprigs
10. 1/2 cup tomato paste
11. 1 cup dry white wine
12. 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
13. 1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
14. 3 tablespoons honey
15. 3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
16. Freshly ground pepper
17. 1 pound pappardelle
18. 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
19. Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Season the pork with 1 1/2 tablespoons of smoked salt. In a medium, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the pork and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until browned on all sides, 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.
2. Add the apple, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and thyme to the casserole and cook over moderate heat until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it deepens in color, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the chicken stock, vinegar and honey and bring to a simmer. Add the pork, cover and transfer the casserole to the oven. Braise the pork for about 3 hours, turning once halfway through, until very tender.
3. Transfer the pork to a plate. Strain the sauce into a large bowl, gently pressing on the solids. Pour the sauce back into the pot. Using 2 forks, shred the pork; discard any large pieces of fat. Transfer the shredded pork to the sauce and stir in the mascarpone. Season the sauce with smoked salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pappardelle until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to the casserole with the sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce and the parsley over moderate heat until well coated, about 1 minute. Transfer the pasta to warm bowls. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with smoked salt and serve.

Make Ahead

The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.