Pork cheek braised in red wine

The Barbera d’Asti Superiore La luna e i falò 2023 Vite Colte finds in this dish a particularly harmonious pairing.

Black pork cheek, slowly braised in red wine, offers a soft and succulent texture, enriched by the sweet aromas of the cooking juices and the velvety creaminess of the potatoes. The Barbera, with its lively and well-integrated acidity, cleanses the palate and lightens the richness of the preparation, while good structure and ripe fruit intertwine with the aromatic notes of the braised meat.

The crisp leek adds a fragrant touch that is matched by the delicate spicy undertones of the wine. A well-balanced and highly satisfying flavor pairing.

Ingredients for 4 people

For the Casertano black pork cheek.

• Casertano black pig cheek: 400 g
• Celery: 50 g
• Carrots: 100 g
• Onion: 50 g
• Red wine: 2 L
• Extra virgin olive oil: q.b.
• Bay leaf: 1 leaf
• Thyme: 1 sprig
• Leek
• Halls

For the creamy potato sauce

• Potatoes: 250 g
• Butter: 125 g
• Salt and pepper

Procedure:

Preparing the cheeks

Clean the cheeks of excess fat, then toast them in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to seal in the juices.

In a separate pan, prepare chopped celery, carrots and onion and sauté slowly until golden brown. Add the browned cheeks, deglaze with red wine until covered, add bay leaf and thyme, and simmer for about 3 hours.

For the creamy potato sauce

Boil the potatoes, pass them through a sieve and cream them with butter, salt and pepper until velvety. Keep warm.

For the crispy leek

Cut leek into thin julienne, soak it in milk for a few minutes, then fry it in oil at 130°C until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly.

When the cheeks are tender, strain the cooking juices, reduce them over the heat, and adjust the salt.

Lay a soft layer of creamy potato soup in the center of the plate, arrange the braised cheek on top, tassel with its glossy bottom, and finish with the crispy leek.

In the chalice:

(Edited by Stefania Vinciguerra)

Barbera d’Asti Superiore La luna e i falò 2023 Vite Colte

Deep, purplish red. On the nose ripe red fruits, black cherry, plum and sweet spices. The palate is fresh and juicy, with firm tannins and good balance and mouthfeel.

Production area: More than 60 hectares of vineyards carefully selected by winery technicians and managed at low yields participating in the Superbarbera Project. Vineyards with slightly different soils and microclimates to obtain a wine with the best balance between structure and aromas.

Grape varieties: 100% Barbera.

Production processes: Vinification is traditional, with 10-day maceration at a temperature of 28-30 °C followed by the start of malolactic fermentation. Barrel aging proceeds for about 12 months during which this robustly structured Barbera further enriches its extractives and evolves in complexity.

Alcohol content: 14.50 % vol.

Serving temperature: 18°C.

Recommended pairings: Stuffed pasta and savory first courses (Agnolotti del Plin with roast sauce, Tajarin with Fassona meat sauce, Pappardelle with wild boar ragout, traditional Lasagna); Braised, stewed and long cooked meats; aged or semi-mature cheeses (not blue cheeses).