Chestnut flour fettuccine with pork & savoy cabbage

(Fettuccine di castagna con maiale e cavolo savoiardo)

Serves 6

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) pork cheeks, trimmed and cleaned of all fat

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) Chardonnay, reduced to 170 ml (5½ fl oz/²/₃ cup)

1 onion, finely diced

1 leek, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 rosemary sprig

4 sage leaves

700 ml (24 fl oz/2¾ cups) vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste, plus extra, to serve

½ savoy cabbage, cored and roughly chopped

300 g (10½ oz) chestnut fresh egg pasta dough, cut into fettuccine

50 g (1¾ oz) butter, chopped

freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, to taste

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2). Place all the ingredients, except the savoy cabbage, pasta and butter, into a roasting tin. Cover with a cartouche (see Note), wrap the tin tightly in foil and bake for 2 hours or until the meat is falling apart. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Break the meat into bite-sized pieces and return to the roasting tin. Remove the rosemary sprig and bay leaf and discard. Blanch the cabbage in salted boiling water and add to the roasting tin.

Cook the pasta in abundant salted boiling water. This will only take about 3–4 minutes. Drain and combine with the contents of the roasting tin, finishing with the butter. Serve immediately with the freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, to taste.

NOTE: A cartouche is a piece of baking paper that is used to cover the surface of a dish. It can help to retain moisture, keep the contents submerged, reduce evaporation or prevent a skin forming.