Were onto week 2 of self isolation due to corona virus, and its a very strange time indeed. The days are long and my list of things to do to keep myself busy just keeps getting longer. This morning I woke up at 4am, it was pouring rain and the sound of it on our tin roof whilst I was toasty warm in bed made me feel glad I didn't have to get up for anything.
The days are getting shorter, with colder misty mornings starting to appear again in the Valley. Today I decided we needed some comfort food... (my pants actually said for the love of god woman eat a salad, but ah well)
We had some pork shoulder in the fridge, so I decided a pork ragu was in order. This is a super easy recipe that doesn't take a long time, but makes you feel like your some sort of Italian goddess once your done. This is one you can pop in the slow cooker in the morning and forget about until dinnertime.
PORK RAGU
Ingredients
1x pork shoulder
1x can of tinned tomatoes
2x large carrots
1x onion
5x garlic cloves
500ml chicken stock
500ml red wine
1x Good quality parmesan cheese (no packet or powdered crap, get the good stuff always)
1x bunch of herbs, I used thyme and rosemary but use whatever you have on hand
2x tablespoons of gravy powder
Salt
Pepper
Method
Pop your pork shoulder in the slow cooker
Dice your onion, carrots and garlic and add to the pot
Add in your tinned tomatoes, red wine and stock and pop your herbs on top, season with salt and pepper
Pop your lid on your slow cooker and cook for 8 hours or until meat pulls apart easily
Remove all meat from the slow cooker and pop into a bowl, shred the meat.
Use a straining spatula to lift out your onion, herbs and carrots and add to the bowl
Pour the leftover liquid inside your slow cooker into a pot start to simmer, add in some gravy powder and whisk until sauce thickens.
Add your thickened sauce into the bowl with your shredded meat.
Add to your pasta of choice, grate some parmesan on-top
Serve and enjoy!
HOMEMADE GNOCCHI
This makes enough to serve 6 people
Ingredients
8x starchy white potatoes
5x cups plain flour
2x free range eggs
Salt
Method
Peel and quarter your potatoes.
Boil your potatoes in salty water until a knife can pierce through them easily.
Strain your potatoes and leave to cool.
Once your potatoes have cooled, use a potato masher to mash them until all the lumps are gone. (I often use my food processor to whizz them if I cant get all the lumps out)
Make a well in the centre of your mashed potatoes, add a pinch of salt and your 2 eggs, whisked.
Add in your plain flour and mix until a dough forms.
Dust your kitchen bench with plain flour and add place your dough on-top.
Kneed your dough until well combined, then cut into quarters.
Roll each quarter into thin, sausage like lengths and cut into small pieces to form your gnocchi.
Dust well with plain flour and place onto a baking tray or flat surface until your ready to cook, ensure gnocchi pieces are not touching or they'll stick together. (I wet a tea towel and place it over the tray to keep them fresh if making a few hours before cooking).
Boil water with a heap of salt, add your gnocchi and wait until they float to the top, that means they are ready!
Serve with whatever sauce you like and enjoy!
A hot tip for you all, I try to make a double batch of these as they keep well in the fridge and freezer. If doing so, boil and cook your gnocchi as per normal, then toss in some olive oil before putting into containers.
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