Cheesy Dilly Rolls

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Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup milk, heated to 105-110 F
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 envelope active dry yeast (about 2.5 teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

Directions:

• In a hot skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter, add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Cool completely.
• Add sugar and yeast into warm milk, mix to combine. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, dill, sour cream, milk mixture, sautéed onion, cheddar, and 3 tablespoons of butter. Using your hand, mix all of the ingredients and keep kneading until it forms sticky dough. Transfer dough to a floured countertop, continue kneading until the dough turns smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with kitchen towel and let sit in warm place to rise, until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough, divide into 12* equal pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll each dough piece gently into a ball, place it on the line baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, space the balls at least 2-inches apart. Cover baking sheet with kitchen towel. Store in warm place and let rise until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake rolls until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Pull baking sheet out of the oven, and brush the top of the rolls with melted butter immediately. Transfer to wire rack and cool down slightly before serving.

Yield 12 rolls, or 24 small rolls

Leek and Arugula Quiche

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Sunday night dinner after playing hard all weekend can be therapeutic. Sunday night dinner with (meatless) leek and arugula quiche can be therapeutic and satisfying. 

Flaky pie crust filled with light, creamy, and savory filling never cease to amaze me.

Double the batch to make sure you have enough for next day's lunch (or breakfast!)

Ingredients:

• 1 9-inch pie crust
• 2 large leeks, white parts only, cut vertically in half, and slice into 1/2-inch strips, wash and drain
• 1 1/2 cup fresh baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3/4 cup grated mild cheddar
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Roll out pie crust on a floured surface and line 9-inch pie pan with the crust. Using a sharp knife, trim the excess crust from the edges of the pan. Brush the bottom and sides with egg white.
• Melt the butter in a skillet. Add leeks and cook until wilted and cooked through. Remove skillet from the heat and cool completely. Transfer leeks into the pie pan and spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. Cover leeks with arugula, and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and cream until creamy. Add nutmeg, oregano, basil, and grated cheddar, mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into the pie pan. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. Bake quiche in the oven for about 45 minutes or until brown on top and cooked through. The quiche will still be jiggly when you take it out of the oven. Cool down for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Kiwi Strawberry Tart with Cream Cheese Custard Filling

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Not until I was done baking and in the middle of taking picture that I realized that this tart looks very Christmasy, with red and green beautifully scattered over the top.

I might want to bake another one on Christmas day for dessert.

Ingredients:

For the tart shell:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 tablespoon cold milk

For the filling:

• 1 pack (8-ounces) cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• vanilla bean
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 yolks from large eggs
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon brandy (optional)
• 5 kiwi, peeled and sliced
• 2 cup sliced strawberries

Directions:

• To make the shell: In a put processor pulse together sugar, salt and flour. Add butter cubes and continue pulsing until the the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg into the food processor, pulse for about 5 to 10 seconds more until the mixture forms clumps and lumps, add some milk if the mixture is too dry. Take the dough out of the food processor, knead lightly to make sure that all of the ingredients are well incorporated. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a 9-inch tart pan and set aside. Roll out the dough on a floured parchment paper into a 12-inch round. Using the paper as aid, transfer the dough onto the pan, peel off the paper, and use your fingers to make sure that the dough adheres very well to the pan. Trim the edges and pierce the dough with fork all over. Place the shell on the center shelf of the oven, and bake until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool down completely.
• To make the custard: Place milk in a medium saucepan. Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise using a sharp knife, and scrape off the seeds into the milk. Heat the milk over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Turn off the stove and let it sit to steep, about 10 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks until creamy. Add hot milk gradually into the egg mixture, continue whisking until all of the ingredients are well mixed. Return the mixture into the saucepan, cook over medium-low heat while whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbly. Strain the mixture using fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Let it rest to bring the temperature down to room temperature. 
• Add brandy, if desired, whisk to combine. Fill the tart shell with the custard, use rubber spatula to distribute the custard evenly. Refrigerate the tart for at least a couple of hours to chill the custard completely.
• Arrange sliced kiwi and strawberry on top of the tart before serving. Serve chilled.

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Pull Apart Cheesy Bread

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Ingredients:

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup warm milk (100-110 degrees F)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4-5 cups bread flour
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

• Dissolve yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and warm milk in a large mixing bowl. Set aside and let sit for about 5-10 minutes, until the yeast turns foamy. Add the rest of the sugar, vegetable oil, salt, and 2 eggs to the bowl.
• Add flour to the mixing bowl, one cup at the time, and continue kneading until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, continue kneading for about 5-7 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough turns pliable but not sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, about 1- 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, divide into small chunks (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Stuff each small dough chunk with a piece of cheese, and roll each piece with the palm of your hands to form a ball. Arrange the balls on an lightly oiled bread pan/casserole pan. Cover with kitchen towel and let rise for another hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the top of the bread with beaten egg. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove form the oven, brush the bread with melted butter immediately. Serve with marinara sauce, if preferred.

Hangtown Fry

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Hangtown fry is undeniably and truly a San Franciscan dish. This oyster and bacon omelet (that used to cost a fortune) has a long history starting from the gold rush era, and nowadays still well enjoyed by many people, myself included.

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 slices of bacon
• 6 shucked medium oysters
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• Salt and pepper
• Dash of Tabasco
• Tomato slices

Directions:

• In a plastic bag, coat the oysters with bread crumbs, shake off the excess and set aside.
• Heat an iron cast or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon for 6-10 minutes until crispy. Drain on paper towel and crumble into small pieces. Add butter to the skillet, fry the oysters until golden brown on both sides. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add half of the bacon and 1 tablespoon of green onions, season with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs into the skillet, cook until the eggs are set. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon and green onion. Serve with Tabasco and tomato slices. 

Eat Your Cake...and Your Vegetables, Too!

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Vegetables in my cupcakes? Why, yes!

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
• 12 parmesan chips for topping

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well blended. In a mixing bowl, beat egg, butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add half of the cream and half of the flour mixture into the mixing bowl, beat until combined. Add the remaining cream and flour, continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes. 
• Add chopped broccoli, fold into the batter using rubber spatula until well combined. 
• Divide the batter into 12 lined muffin cups. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to wire rack to cool. Top with a dollop of cream cheese and one piece of parmesan chip before serving.

Makes 12 regular size cupcakes

Herbed Salami and Cheese Rolls

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Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups bread flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg (+1 egg for egg wash)

• 1/2 cup warm milk (100-110 degrees F)

• 120 grams water roux/Tangzhong (recipe below)

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar 

• 1/2 cup chopped salami

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Directions:

• Combine warm milk and yeast in a small bowl, and let sit for about 5-10 minutes, or until foamy. Mix flour, salt and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer. Make well in the center. Add wet ingredients (yeast mixture, egg, and water roux) to the bowl. Fit the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer and begin mixing on medium speed. Knead until the dough comes together. Add butter and continue kneading until the dough is smooth, not too sticky on the surface and elastic, about 20 minutes with mixer.

• When the dough is ready, you should be able to take a chunk and stretch it to a very thin membrane before it breaks. When it does break, the break should form a circle.

• Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and transfer onto lightly floured surface. Add basil, oregano, cheese and salami. Knead the dough using your hand until all of the ingredients is well mixed and distributed. Shape the dough into a ball. Take a large bowl and grease with oil. Place dough into the bowl and cover with wet towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it's doubled in size.

• Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Cover with plastic wrap, let rest for 15 minutes. 

• Grease and flour a rectangular casserole dish. Take one portion of the dough, flatten it with rolling pin, roll up the dough and shape into small ball, sealing up the edges. Repeat the process with the remaining portions. Transfer the rolls to the casserole dish, cover with cling wrap and let rise for another 40 minutes, until they double in size. 

• Preheat the oven to 330 degrees F. Beat one egg and brush over the top of the rolls. Bake int he oven for 30 minutes until they turn golden brown.

Water roux ingredients:

• 1/3 cup bread flour
• 1 cup water

Directions:

Mix flour and water in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon or spatula. The mixture will become thicker and thicker. Use the thermometer to check the temperature. When it reaches 65 degrees C (149-150 degrees F), remove the saucepan from the stove. Set aside and cool down.

Croissants

I can't think of anything better than waking up to flaky-buttery-crispy fresh-from-the-oven croissants served on my kitchen table. One or two of those, plus a cup of steaming joe, and I'm ready to tackle my day. 

But making my own croissants, it's a different story. There are so many recipes and so many methods available through cookbooks and internet postings, it's so difficult to find out which one would work for me. And I have tried a few of the recipes to justify me saying that some produced better result than the others. 

After spending the last coupe of months tweaking and adjusting the recipes, I think I can finally say that I have come up with my ultimate foolproof croissant recipe. 

Ingredients for the detrempe (dough):

• 1 1/4 cup milk, warmed to 105-110 degrees F
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups pastry flour, sifted*, plus more for dusting 

* Pastry flour is preferred, but if it's difficult to obtain, all-porpose flour works OK.

Ingredients for the beurrage (butter block):

• 1 cup/2 sticks butter, chilled and cut into smaller pieces*
• 2 tablespoons pastry flour

* I prefer to use european butter, like Plugra (and occasionally Kerrygold), because I think it gives better and more distinctive flavor to the pastry. 

Other ingredients:

• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

Directions:

• Make the detrempe: Sprinkle yeast and sugar onto warm milk, give a little stir with a spoon, and let it rest for about 10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour and salt, then add yeast mixture into the bowl. Mix all of the ingredients together with your hand until well mixed. Please do not over handling the dough, just give it enough mixing until all of the ingredients are well blended. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, knead a little bit more and shape it into a ball. The dough will be sticky and spread out a little bit. Place the dough ball on a floured parchment paper, and refrigerate while you're making the beurrage. 
• Make the beurrage: Using a mixer, mix butter and flour until smooth. Transfer butter mixture onto a plastic wrap, shaping it into a flat square. Wrap the butter and refrigerate until the butter is firmer, about 20 minutes.

• On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin circle. Place the butter block in the center of the dough. Stretching the dough with your hand, pull the top part of the dough, and fold it to cover the butter. Repeat the process with the bottom, left and right part of the dough, until you get a square envelope. Flip the square over, so that the flaps are facing down.
• Using a rolling pin, flatten and roll out the dough into a large rectangle, sprinkle more flour if necessary. Fold the dough into thirds, by folding left and right side to the center. Transfer dough onto a lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
• Repeat the process of rolling the dough into rectangle, letter fold, and refrigerate for 20 minutes in between foldings. In total, do 4 letter folds before final rolling and cutting.

• Roll out the dough into a thin large rectangle, about 16 x 12. Trim the edges using pizza cutter or knife. Cut the rectangle in half vertically, then using the pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles with 3-inch base. Take one triangle, stretch it slightly with your hand. Roll up the triangle, starting from the base, place it on a line baking sheet with the tip tucked underneath the croissant. Repeat the process with the remaining triangle, placing them about 2 inches apart on lined baking sheet. 

• Place the baking sheets in a warm spot in the kitchen. Let the croissants to rise (but don't let them double in size), for about 1 to 2 hours*. Brush the tops with beaten egg. 
• Bake the croissants in a 375 degrees F oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until they turn crispy and golden brown on the outside.

* I found that if I prepare and shape the croissants in the evening, I can store my croissants in the refrigerator overnight to slow proof them. In the morning, I take them out of the fridge and oven proof them at 85 degrees for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking (I know that butter will melt at 85 degrees, but since the croissants are very cold, 85 degrees work just fine). If your oven doesn't have this feature, you can place a medium bowl of very hot/nearly boiling water in the oven along with the croissants, close the door and let them rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Make about 20 croissants

And of course, while we're at it, why don't we also make some Pain au Chocolate?

Cut the dough in small rectangles, place a piece of chocolate bar on one end of the rectangle, roll it up, tuck the other end underneath the croissant, place on lined baking sheet, brush with egg, let them rise, and bake at 375 degrees until done.

Now, don't you want to just grab one of these puppies? :)

Clafoutis

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Sometimes one doesn't need to spend a whole day in the kitchen to come up with great dessert. Clafoutis is simple in every way imaginable. Simple ingredients, quick preparation, then come the aroma and flavor that make you come back for more and more. This is one cake that deserves a standing ovation.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons kirsch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 eggs
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3 cups black cherries, preferably un-pitted, but pitted ones are ok
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9" cast iron skillet or baking dish with butter; set aside. Combine sugar, milk, kirsch, vanilla, eggs and salt in a blender. Blend for a few seconds to mix ingredients, then add flour and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Pour batter into greased skillet, then distribute cherries evenly over the top. Bake until skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and a golden brown crust has formed on top and bottom of Clafoutis, about 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Serve warm.

Recipe is taken from Saveur magazine; 101 classic recipes

Homemade Raviolis

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Over the time, I learned a thing or two about cooking;

I learned that simple food with fresh ingredients can have big flavors.

I learned that it's ok if my food doesn't look as good as the store bought ones.

I learned that I like to hear about who's and what's in my children's (school) lives, when we're doing a cooking project together.

These raviolis, are the perfect representation of those things I mentioned above.

Basic pasta dough:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Water, if needed

Cheese filling:

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 tablespoon minced basil
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place the flour and semolina on a clean countertop. Make a well in the flour. Add eggs and olive oil into the well. Start to knead the dough with your hands. Add a little bit of water if needed until you reach the desired consistency. Roll dough into one big ball, put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
• Meanwhile, place all of the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl and mix well. Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. Grab a handful of dough and run it through the pasta roller. Adjust the roller and run the dough a few times until you have long thin pasta with no holes. 
• Lay the pasta sheet on a floured surface. Spoon about a teaspoon each of cheese filling onto the pasta, spacing them about an 1 1/2 inch apart. Brush the area around the filling with some water, then lay another piece of pasta on top. Press out any air bubbles around the filling, then cut out the raviolis with cookie cutter (or ravioli cutter if you have one). Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
• When you're ready to cook, simply cook the raviolis in a salted boiling water for about 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Drain and serve with any sauce of your choice.

Chocolate Swirl Cake Pops

No recipe for now. Just a couple of pictures of chocolate (and white chocolate) swirl cake pops I made this past weekend. Aren't they cute?

Dragon Fruit and Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup Dragon Fruit puree (from 1 medium fruit)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread coconut flakes on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in the oven and toast coconut until they turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool down completely.
• In a large bowl, mix together cream, dragon fruit puree, lemon juice and vanilla. Heat the milk on the stove until near boiling. 
• Mix egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, pour hot milk slowly into the bowl while whisking. Return the custard to saucepan, cook over low heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring with wooden spatula. Remove saucepan from the heat, add fruit mixture and stir to combine. Cool custard to room temperature, add toasted coconut flakes into the mixture and combine. Cover and chill custard in the refrigerator for a few hours.
• Freeze custard in an ice cream maker, transfer to airtight container and put in the freezer a few hours before serving.

Key Lime Cupcakes

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Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh key-lime juice
• 1 tablespoon grated key-lime peel
• 1/4 teaspoon green food coloring
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

For the icing:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon finely grated key-lime peel
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners. Whisk both flours in medium bowl. Beat butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, beat to blend. Beat eggs one at  a time, then add the next 3 ingredients, continue beating. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions.
• Fill each lined muffin pan with batter, 2/3 full. Bake in the oven until done, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan, transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
• Add all frosting ingredients in a large mixing bowl, beat until smooth and creamy. Spread frosting over cupcakes, or pipe frosting using tip and piping bag.

Recipe is taken from Bon Appetite website.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup Shooter with Grilled Brie Sandwich

Tomato-Basil Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes 
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• In a soup pot, heat the oil. Add onions and garlics, cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onions turn translucent. Add milk, chicken stock, tomatoes, chopped basil into the pot. Stir to blend. Reduce the heat, simmer the soup for about 10 minutes, or until the soup thickens a little bit.
• Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide soup into shooter glasses or small bowls. Serve warm with mini grilled brie sandwiches.

Grilled Brie Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 8 slices white bread 
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces Brie (1/2 wheel), rind/white part removed, and sliced thinly

Directions:

• Butter one side of each slice of bread and place 2 on a hot pan, buttered side down.
• Top each bread with sliced Brie, cover with bread, buttered side up.
• Grill until the cheese has melted and the bread turns golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side.
• Transfer sandwich to the cutting board. Remove the crust, and cut the sandwich into smaller pieces. Serve warm with tomato-basil soup.

Slow Cooked Pork Ragu with Farfalle

Today is the last day of school for my children. Summer break will officially start tomorrow, and  I will have different kind of hectic and crazy days ahead of me. 

That means a lot of driving to and from the kids' summer camps, a lot of play date and sleepover hosting, a lot of time spent at the pool, and tons of prepare-in-advance meals to cook.

This, is just one of them.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cubed (about 2 X 2 inch)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 package Farfalle (or Pappardelle, or Rigatoni)
• Grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Brown the pork on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove pork from skillet and transfer to slow cooker. Add onions, garlics, wine, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, until the pork is fork tender and the juice thickens.
• Remove the pork from the crock pot, shred with 2 forks to make smaller pieces. Remove bay leaves and return shredded pork into the crock pot. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer/warm for additional 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a boiling salt water until soft, per package directions. Drain pasta, toss with pork ragu, serve immediately with grated parmesan and chopped parley.