Fideus a la cassola

Pork meat noodles

My story

My sister, Olga, held this dish in high esteem, often requesting it from my mother whenever she visited our hometown of Lleida. Sadly, her battle with cancer resulted in a strict diet that prevented her from indulging in such rich food. Typically served during the winter, this hearty meal includes pork ribs that have been expertly sliced by a butcher in order to avoid pesky bone fragments. Hailing from Catalunya, this recipe has its roots in humble farming villages where residents grew their own produce and raised animals for consumption. While it may seem simple to prepare, the dish's unique twist lies in cooking the pasta with a "sofrito" and stock rather than boiling it Italian-style. Despite its ease of preparation, the result is a truly delicious meal.

Ingredients

2 Slices of pancetta 

1 Big pork sausage

5 Pork ribs (cut in half)

1 Garlic clove

1 Onion

2 Tomatoes

A glass of Conyac

Noodles (Fideo no 4)

Chicken stock

Water

Olive oil

Salt

Recipe

Combine the meat in a terracotta casserole and cook it until it turns brown, a process that typically takes between 15 and 20 minutes. Next, add garlic and onion and cook them until golden for around 10 minutes, followed by the addition of shredded tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to cook for approximately 5 minutes before adding a dash of Conyac. Let everything cook for another 10 minutes. Once the mix appears well cooked and brown, introduce the noodles and stir everything together for roughly 5 minutes so the noodles absorb the flavours. Then, pour in three ladles of chicken stock, mix well, and cover the casserole with a lid. After 10 minutes, add two more ladles of stock and recover. Let everything cook for an additional 10 minutes before removing the lid. Keep stirring until the consistency turns from slightly sticky to lose and dry.