Pulled pork pasta recipe — Spadea’s Fridge

The possibilities are endless when you slow cook a great pork butt. And when you make a ten plus pound dinner, you're gonna have leftovers.

On Tuesday night, I decided that it was time for a new twist on pulled pork left overs: pasta sauce! Or gravy as my Grandmother would call it! Simple to make.

• Take the left over pork and put it in a nonstick pan on medium heat. I use a large enough pan so after the fat has melted and the meat begins to brown a little, I slide it over to one half of the pan.
• Add some olive oil.
• Sauté chopped onions and carrots.
• Once the onions are translucent, mix them in with the meat.
• Add thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and a little cayenne.
• Add a little more olive oil.
• Throw in three chopped cloves of garlic.
• Once you smell the garlic, de-glaze the pan with a little red wine.
• Add a box/can of chopped tomatoes.
• Cover and let it simmer.
• In a separate pot, boil water and cook some pasta. I use Einkorn 'ancient grain' penne. Don't over cook it! 6-8 minutes. The pasta should be a little firm, al dente.
• Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the simmering sauce.

You can then top it with fresh mozzarella or just enjoy without the cheese.

If you have any left, heat it up the next day by heating a little vegetable oil in a nonstick pan and frying it up!

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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