Pappardelle with black cabbage and meatballs
This recipe guides you through making homemade pappardelle pasta paired with savory pork meatballs. The meatballs are seared, then simmered with aromatic vegetables, black cabbage, and white wine to create a rich sauce. The fresh pasta is then tossed directly with the hearty sauce for a comforting and deeply flavorful Italian meal.
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For pasta dough and mixing meatballs.
- 1 Large Pot For boiling pasta and simmering sauce.
- 1 Large Frying Pan For searing meatballs and sautéing aromatics.
- 1 Pasta Machine or Rolling Pin For rolling and cutting pappardelle.
- 1 Chef's Knife and Cutting Board For preparing vegetables and other ingredients.
Ingredients
Main
- 200 g plain flour
- 2 free-range eggs
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 bunches black cabbage trimmed, coarsely chopped
- 1 kg coarsely minced pork shoulder
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp finely ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp dry-roasted fennel seeds
- 200 ml dry white wine
- plain flour for dusting
- 100 ml olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 red chilli deseeded and finely diced
Instructions
- Combine plain flour, free-range eggs, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl; knead until a smooth dough forms, then cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix minced pork shoulder with fine sea salt, finely ground black pepper, and dry-roasted fennel seeds; form into small meatballs.
- Heat 100ml extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan. Lightly dust meatballs with plain flour, then sear until browned on all sides; remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the finely chopped onion, thinly sliced garlic, and finely diced red chilli; sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the coarsely chopped black cabbage to the pan and sauté until wilted, then deglaze with dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits.
- Return the seared meatballs to the pan. Add enough water or stock (not specified, but recommended) to just cover the meatballs. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 30-40 minutes until meatballs are tender.
- While the sauce simmers, roll out the rested pasta dough thinly using a pasta machine or rolling pin, then cut into wide pappardelle ribbons.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fresh pappardelle for 2-3 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve about a cup of pasta water.
- Drain the cooked pappardelle and add it directly to the pan with the meatballs and sauce. Toss gently, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to create a cohesive sauce that coats the pasta.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve immediately, garnished with a final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Notes
1. For the pasta, ensure the dough is well-rested for optimal texture and ease of rolling. If a pasta machine isn't available, roll the dough as thinly and evenly as possible with a rolling pin. 2. When preparing the meatballs, avoid overmixing the pork to keep them tender. Toasting the fennel seeds briefly before grinding them will intensify their aromatic profile. 3. Black cabbage, or Tuscan kale, benefits from thorough chopping and a good sauté to soften its fibrous texture and mellow any bitterness. 4. The key to a cohesive dish is finishing the pasta directly in the sauce, allowing it to absorb flavors and emulsify with a splash of reserved pasta water for perfect cling.