pasta with pork, roasted garlic, and balsamic vinegar

ServeS 4

Ingredients:

1 bulb garlic, left whole with the top third sliced off

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for garlic

1 onion, thinly sliced

10oz (300g) pork tenderloin, cut into bite-size cubes

1–2 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp tomato purée

1¼ cups hot vegetable stock, or more as needed

small handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

12oz (350g) dried pappardelle

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Rub the cut-side of the garlic with oil, then wrap loosely in aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until very lightly golden. Add the pork and cook, stirring often, until golden all over, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, raise the heat, and cook a few more minutes.

2 Stir in the tomato purée, followed by the flour and then the stock. Stir well to get rid of any lumps. Bring to a boil, then cook on a fairly high simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and reduced. Add a bit of boiling water if the sauce reduces too quickly. Season well with salt and pepper. Squeeze the cooled

garlic out of its skin, chop coarsely, then stir into the sauce along with half the parsley.

3 Meanwhile, cook the pasta as the package directs. Drain, reserving a small amount of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the reserved cooking water. Add the sauce, toss again, then sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve.

pasta with pork, roasted garlic, and balsamic vinegar