Careme

Instructions

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1. 1.

   Gently season 10 oz ground pork with 5/8 teaspoon fine table salt. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables, then wash your hands.

2. 2.

   Prepare the vegetable topping ingredients, keeping them separate:

   • 8 oz crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced 1/4 inch thick
   • 2 oz shallots, peeled and finely chopped
   • 1 small bunch spinach, about 4 oz, washed, dried, tough stems removed, and leaves roughly chopped
   • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
3. 3.

   Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a pasta pot. Add 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon fine table salt. Keep it ready while you cook the mushroom topping.

4. 4.

   Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their moisture evaporates and they become golden.

5. 5.

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the prepared shallots and thyme, 5/8 teaspoon fine table salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the shallots soften. Add the prepared spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Stir in 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons water, scraping up the browned bits. Transfer the mushroom-spinach topping to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

6. 6.

   Add 6 oz pappardelle to the boiling salted water and cook according to the package timing until just tender, generally 7–10 minutes. Before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water. Cook the pork while the pasta boils.

7. 7.

   Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the seasoned pork and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until lightly browned and the largest clumps reach 160°F.

8. 8.

   Reduce the heat to low. Stir 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water into the pork. Simmer gently for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the drained pappardelle and toss for 1 minute until glossy, adding reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.

9. 9.

   Divide the creamy pork pasta among one larger adult bowl and two smaller children's bowls. Spoon a generous portion of the mushroom-spinach topping over the adult's pasta, leaving the children's sauce mild. Offer the extra topping separately alongside the children's bowls.

Want more detail? See the temperature guide.