PRESSURE COOKER PORK PUTTANESCA RAGù

Pressure Cooker Pork Puttanesca Ragù image

Inspired by puttanesca sauce, this braised pork ragù combines rich pork shoulder with the bright flavors of capers, olives and tomato. Those wary of anchovies can relax; the finished dish doesn't taste overtly fishy. The anchovies dissolve into the sauce, providing a subtly savory note. Tomato-based sauces can trigger the burn warning in some pressure cookers. To avoid that, this recipe calls for more liquid than you would typically need, and finishes with a quick simmer to reduce the sauce to a thicker consistency. Find a slow-cooker version of this recipe here.

Provided by Sarah DiGregorio

Categories dinner, meat, pastas, main course

Time 2h15m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

3 to 3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless pork shoulder
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped, or 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup drained capers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup dry red wine
1 (15-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes, with their juices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
1 cup lightly packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Steps:

Using a sharp knife, trim and discard the large pieces of fat from the pork shoulder, then cut the meat into 4 or 5 large chunks. Place the pork in a bowl and season it generously with salt and pepper.
Using the sauté setting, heat the olive oil in a 6- to 8-quart pressure cooker. Add the garlic and anchovies and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. (If it looks like it's getting too dark, or you get a warning on the display, turn off the heat while cooking the tomato paste. Turn the heat back on when you add the wine.)
Stir in the olives, capers, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, oregano and a generous amount of black pepper. (Do not add more salt at this point; anchovies, olives and capers can be quite salty.) Stir in the wine, 2 cups water and the tomatoes with their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands if using whole. Turn off the sauté setting and stir in the pork. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 80 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid. Carefully transfer the pork to a medium bowl, and coarsely shred. Using the sauté setting, let the ragù simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Skim the excess fat, if desired. Add the shredded meat back to the pot, then add the lemon juice and parsley and gently stir to combine. Taste and add more red-pepper flakes or salt if necessary. Serve the ragù over polenta or sturdy pasta, like rigatoni or pappardelle. Top with Parmesan, to taste.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 566, UnsaturatedFat 22 grams, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 38 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 36 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 794 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams