🇮🇹 Italian · Main Dish
🍲 Ndocca Ndocca
'Ndocca 'Ndocca
A rustic Abruzzese stew of mixed pork parts, chili, garlic, and rosemary, historically prepared right after the traditional pig slaughter to use every cut without waste.
'Ndocca 'ndocca, whose playful onomatopoeic name is said to imitate the sound of chopping meat, uses parts of the pig - trotters, ribs, skin - that might otherwise go unused, slow-simmered with abundant chili until deeply tender.
Ingredients
Equipment: Heavy-bottomed pot with lid
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) mixed pork parts (ribs, trotters, skin), cut into pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2-3 dried chilies, crumbled
- Fresh rosemary
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) white wine vinegar
- 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Method
- If using trotters or skin, blanch briefly in boiling water first, then drain.
- Warm the olive oil in a heavy pot and brown all the pork pieces well on all sides.
- Add the garlic, chilies, and rosemary, and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add the vinegar and let it evaporate slightly.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and enough water to nearly cover the meat.
- Cover and simmer very gently for 2-2.5 hours, until all the pork is completely tender.
- Season to taste and serve hot.
Chef Tips
- A genuine mix of different pork cuts, including some with more collagen like trotters or skin, gives the dish its characteristic rich, gelatinous sauce.
- This dish carries real heat traditionally - adjust the chili to your preference, but do not omit it entirely.
- Low, slow cooking is essential for the tougher cuts to become properly tender.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing the cooking time, leaving the tougher cuts of pork insufficiently tender.
- Being too shy with the chili, which is a defining character of this traditionally fiery dish.
- Skipping the initial browning step, missing an important layer of flavor.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of protein and collagen from the varied pork cuts.
Cultural Note
'Ndocca 'ndocca reflects Abruzzo's resourceful nose-to-tail cooking tradition, historically prepared in the days following the seasonal pig slaughter.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days; flavor improves the next day.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop, covered.
Serve with: Crusty bread, A robust red wine from Abruzzo