Rigatoni With Sunday Night Ragu

• 1 pound St. Louis ribs (spare ribs, trimmed, with the brisket bones removed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced superfine
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Calabrian, dried on the branch)
• 2 (28-ounce) cans chopped plum tomatoes with their juice (I like Jersey Fresh)
• 1 pound dried rigatoni
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Sprinkle both sides of the pork ribs generously with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
3. Lay the ribs on a rack in a roasting pan, put it on the middle oven rack and roast for 30 minutes.
4. When the ribs have been in the oven for 15 minutes or so, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
5. Add the pork shoulder to the pot and let it cook for about 7 minutes, until its well browned.
6. Stir the meat every few minutes so nothing sticks.
7. Stir in the onions, turn the flame down to medium and keep cooking for about 3 minutes, until the onions have started to soften and color up a little.
8. Stir in the garlic and let everything cook for another minute or so, until the garlic has released its aroma.
9. Make sure you keep stirring during this portion of the proceedings, so the garlic doesnt burn and wreck everything.
10. Then stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the red pepper flakes and the oregano.
11. When the ribs have started to brown and caramelize, pull them out of the oven and add them to the pot, along with the canned tomatoes and 2 cups of water.
12. (Dont worry too much about how perfectly done the ribs may or may not bethis is just to give them a head start.
13. Theyre going to cook in the ragu for another 3 1/2 hours, so theyre definitely going to be done.)
14. Bring the sauce up to a simmer; then turn the flame down to low and let the ragu keep cooking for about 3 1/2 hours, checking it every so often and giving it a stir to make sure nothings sticking or burning on the sides of the pot.
15. When the rib meat is falling off the bone and the pork shoulder is nice and tender, pull the pot off the flame and use a slotted spoon to pull the chunks of pork and the ribs from the pot.
16. Pile them on a big plate and let them cool down on the countertop (or in the fridge, if youre in a hurry).
17. Use a ladle to skim the fat off the top of the sauce, so it doesnt get greasy.
18. When the meat is cool enough to handle, rip the pieces of shoulder apart, turning it into chunks, by digging in your thumbs and pulling.
19. Do the same with the ribs, but be careful not to mush up the meat.
20. Pile the pulled meat in a bowl; throw the bones away, but pour any sauce thats left on the plate over the pulled meat.

salt, fresh ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, pork shoulder, onion, garlic, red pepper, oregano, tomatoes, rigatoni, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, parsley

Taken from www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/rigatoni-with-sunday-night-ragu-recipe/ (may not work)