18 August 2011

CHICKEN LIVERS, SAUSAGE & BACON RAGOUT WITH EGG NOODLES

• 20g dried porcini
• 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• 250g streaky bacon, cut into strips
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 300g chicken livers, roughly chopped
• ½ cup Montebello tomato sugo (or tomato puree)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 300mls white wine
• 6 small pure pork sausages
• 150g dried pasta noodles (Alfieri Tajarin egg noodles)
• 100g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Soak the porcini in two cups boiling water for at least 20 minutes. Heat a large deep frying pan, or a sturdy cast iron casserole pan and add 2 tbsps of the olive oil. When it has heated, add the bacon and fry gently until the edges start to become crisp. Add the drained porcini (keeping the liquid), onion and carrot and continue to fry gently until the vegetables are golden. Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds, then add the chopped chicken livers. Brown these and then add the tomato, bay leaf, and cloves and stir well together. Add the wine and reserved porcini liquid, bring to a boil, turn down to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Check to ensure the ragout does not catch on the base. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Meanwhile cook the sausages in a separate pan in the remaining olive oil until they are golden on all sides. Remove to cool a little and then slice each sausage into 3cm pieces. Add these to the ragout, removing the bay leaf and cloves. Bring 3 litres of well salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until tender (check the packet for instructions.) To serve drain the pasta and either toss into the hot ragout to coat completely. (You may choose to divide the pasta between six warmed plates, and top with equal servings of the ragout.) Hand the cheese separately. Serves 6 Wine match a hearty Italian red or a rich Hawke’s Bay syrah. Supplier: www.sabato.co.nz * Recipe for NZ Listener by Lauraine Jacobs * Photo: Elizabeth Clarkson