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Braised Pork Ragù over Pasta + Bruna Grimaldi Nebbiolo d'Alba 2017 #ItalianFWT

 

This month, I am hosting the Italian Food Wine Travel blogging group. I asked the #ItalianFWT  bloggers to share Italian wines with braised meats or stews. Perfect for these chilly winter months, right? You can read my invitation: here.

And if you are reading this early enough, feel free to join the group in a live Twitter chat on Saturday, February 6th at 8am Pacific time. Just follow the hashtag #ItalianFWT and be sure to add that to any tweets you post so we can see them. 

Here's what the bloggers are sharing for the theme...


In My Glass

Nebbiolo is one of my favorites grape varieties anyway, but it is on my table more often during the winter because it's usually rich, full-bodied, and has all of those food-friendly acids and tannins. This Bruna Grimaldi Nebbiolo d'Alba 2017 is a single-varietal produced from grapes located on the border of the Barolo region.

Since the early 1960s, Bruna Grimaldi, a small family-owned winery, has focused on producing terroir-driven wines with dedication to careful work in the vineyards and the winery and a fierce commitment to the environment. Bruna and her husband, Franco, have recently been joined by their children to represent the fourth generation of winemakers.

In the glass, this pours a pale garnet color with flecks of purple on the rim. On the nose it's intensely aromatic with notes of red fruits, violets, and spices. On the palate, the wine is silky and smooth with persistent yet subtle tannins. 

In My Bowl

Bruna Grimaldi Nebbiolo d'Alba 2017 is a savory wine that had me thinking of a pasta with a rich sauce. So, I landed on a long-braised Pork Ragù over pasta. It was perfect for a chilly January evening.

Ingredients 
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 to 2-1/2 pounds pork (I used boneless rib meat), cut into large chunks
  • 1 cup onion, peeled and diced
  • 6-8 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1-1/2 cup broth (I used beef broth)
  • 1-1/2 cup red wine
  • bay leaves
  • 1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
  • freshly ground salt, as needed
  • freshly ground pepper, as needed
  • cooked pasta for serving (I used spaghetti)

Procedure 

Heat the oil in a large, Dutch oven. Stir in the garlic, then add the pork meat into the pot. Sear on each side for  3 to 5 minutes - until a nice brown begins to appear.


Add the onions and bay leaves to the pot. 


Pour in the broth and red wine. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. 


After an hour, stir in the canned tomatoes or tomato sauce. Bring the liquid to a boil again, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover, again. Let the meat braise for another two to three hours - longer is fine, if you need to. Once the pork is tender. Use a fork to shred the meat slightly. Raise the heat to reduce the sauce to your desired thickness. 


Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve over pasta.

That's a wrap for our #ItalianFWT February event. We'll be back next month as Linda of My Full Wine Glass leads the discussion of Italian grapes grown outside of Italy. Stay tuned...

Comments

  1. I love savory wines and this Bruna Grimaldi sounds fantastic. For some reason I put pork in a 'delicate' flavored meat category and would have though Nebbiolo would overwhelm it but sounds like this was a great pairing. I always find inspiration on your blog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Andrea. Appreciate you joining us this month! I always love your thoughtful pairings and wines you can get in Turkey!

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  2. This dish sounds completely wonderful and I absolutely agree with you re. Nebbiolo with wintry braised dishes.

    I love this topic, btw, particularly because I really love braising season in general!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm just beginning to appreciate braised meats so thank you for hosting this topic. Braising seems to change the meat into something else - a savory concoction just right for Italian reds.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for hosting, Cam! Your pork ragout looks delicious and I just picked up pork at the grocery store today, so you know what will be on my dinner table this week! I've also been a longtime fan of Bruna Grimaldi wines.... great pairing!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This looks positively scrumptious! Gabe and I are trying to reduce our meat intake but I'm keeping this recipe on hand for one of our special meals. Thanks again for hosting - great topic!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It looks and sounds like the perfect winter meal. I know myhusband would love it. He's a pork lover! The wine sounds good too, and new to us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well you've got Me this time Cam. Not at all familiar with Nebbiolo d'Alba! Thanks for the introduction to what sounds like a lovely bottle of wine.

    ReplyDelete

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