Massimo Mele’s Paccheri with Slow Cooked Pork Cheeks and Onions

Method

Pork rind roll

1. Stretch out the slab of pork rind
2. Sprinkle the slab with the garlic, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper
3. Roll up and tie with twine

Sauce

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and lard, and brown the meat
2. Deglaze with the wine over high heat, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the tomato paste and bay leaves
4. Cook for a few minutes to lightly toast the tomato paste
5. Add the onions and the milk
6. Add the pork rind roll
7. Stir until everything is mixed together
8. Cover the saucepan with foil and cook on low heat until the onions no longer release any liquid
9. Lower to a simmer and cook for 4-5 hours, until the mixture becomes a thick sauce and the colour becomes amber
10. Remove the meat and slice
11. Add the pork rind back into the sauce
12. Cook the paccheri
13. Add paccheri into the sauce
14. Garnish with a mix of grated parmesan and pecorino cheeses