This is one of those dishes that leaves you begging for more. That’s what happened with my son and godson who both told me beforehand that they do not eat chickpeas. Well, they did and helped themselves to another portion and maybe even to a third one.
prep time 20 min cook time 3 hrs
ingredients for 8-10
- 1.2 kg pork neck (or shoulder) cut into 3-4cm chunks
- 400 g Italian sausage, cut into chunks
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 onions, quartered
- 5 carrots, chopped
- 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 l water (2-3 cans)
- peperoncino
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1-2 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- salt
- 2 (400g) cans chickpeas
- 1 bunch loose leaf parsley, chopped
1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the pieces of pork shoulder and the sausages in batches. If there is a fatty side, put that side down on the pan to help render out the fat. Sprinkle some salt over the pork while it cooks. Once cooked, set the pieces aside.
2. Sauté onions and carrots in the pan making sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and peperoncino seeds and skin and cook for another minute. The quantity of peperoncino is up to you, start with a few seeds and add more to your taste. If you prefer, you can use hot Italian sausage and leave out the peperoncino.
3. Add the pork, sausage, crushed tomatoes and water, then stir to combine. Stir in the various paprikas. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook at low for at least 2 hrs or until the pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender.
4. Add the chickpeas and parsley, stir well and adjust the salt. Cook for 5 more minutes. Excellent served with crusty bread and red wine. This dish also freezes well.
BUON APPETITO!