Cannelloni with Braised Pork Cheeks and Sweet Cicely
- 2 pounds pork cheeks (trimmed of any excess fat and sinew)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 cups Prosciutto Broth (page 47)
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons minced sweet cicely or chervil
- 1/2 recipe Egg Pasta (page 84)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- To make the filling, season the pork liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Using 2 saute pans to avoid crowding, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in each pan over high heat.
- Sear the pork cheeks for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until nicely caramelized.
- Transfer the meat to a braising dish.
- Divide the carrots, garlic, and onion between the pans and saute just until they get a hint of color, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Deglaze the pans with the wine, scraping up any crusty bits.
- Put the vegetables and wine into the braising dish with the pork cheeks, then pour in the broth and add the bay leaves.
- Cover the dish with foil or a heavy, tight-fitting lid and braise for 3 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove the meat from the braising dish and shred with two forks.
- Add the sweet cicely and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add a couple of spoonfuls of braising liquid and drizzle with olive oil to moisten.
- Stir to combine and set aside.
- Strain the braising liquid into a clean pan and reduce by half; the timing will vary depending on your stove and pan, but will be about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- To make the cannelloni, roll out the pasta dough to #2 thickness.
- Using a pastry wheel and a ruler, trim the rolled-out sheets to measure 5 inches across.
- Then cut the sheets horizontally to create 5-inch squares.
- You should end up with 8 pasta squares in all.
- Using a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spoon enough reduced braising liquid to cover the bottom.
- Place about 3 tablespoons of the pork filling along one edge of a pasta square.
- Roll up to encase the filling and form a cylinder, then place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Repeat with the remaining pasta squares and filling.
- Sprinkle the diced butter over the top of the dish and then sprinkle with the cheese.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 400F and remove the foil.
- Bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the cheese browns and bubbles.
- Remove the dish from the oven and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
pork cheeks, kosher salt, extravirgin olive oil, carrots, garlic, onion, white wine, bay leaves, sweet cicely, egg pasta, unsalted butter, extravirgin olive oil
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cannelloni-with-braised-pork-cheeks-and-sweet-cicely-383881 (may not work)