Pasta with marinated pork tenderloin and ajvar
Browned pork tenderloin, mild ajvar and tomato make a rich pasta dish. Onion and celery give the sauce a good foundation, while a little pasta water brings everything together at the end.
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All recipes start at 4 people.
Ingredients now shown for 4 people.
Cuisine: International
Estimated timing: about 15 min preparation · about 30 min cooking. These estimates describe the basic method and are not measured kitchen timings. Follow the method and any time ranges above.
Method
Prepare and brown the pork
Cut the tenderloin into even slices or pieces. Heat a little olive oil in a wide pan and brown the meat quickly in batches. Set aside while making the sauce. Watch the heat if the marinade scorches easily.
Give the vegetables time
Reduce the heat. Cook the onion and celery in a little olive oil for 5–7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
Cook the ajvar and build the sauce
Stir in mild ajvar and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Season with pepper and a little salt if needed.
Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta until almost al dente, following the packet. Reserve pasta water before draining.
Return the meat
Return the pork and its resting juices to the sauce. Cook gently until hot throughout and fully cooked. A thermometer in the thickest piece is useful; this agreed kitchen version aims for 68–70 °C. Avoid unnecessarily long cooking.
Toss together and serve
Fold in the pasta. Add pasta water gradually, using approximately the quantity listed, until the sauce coats the pasta. For a rounder sauce, stir in a little crème fraîche. Adjust with optional chilli or a few drops of lemon, and top with Parmesan and basil or parsley.
Get to know the spices in this dish
About this version
Version 1.0. Home-tested with 4 tbsp mild ajvar. The quantity serves 3–4 people; the default display shows 4.
Good to know before you cook
Four tablespoons of mild ajvar
This was the amount used in the tested dish. Ajvar varies in heat and salt content; use a mild version for the same starting point.
The marinade already adds seasoning
Taste the sauce before adding more salt. Marinated pork may contribute salt, sweetness and spices.
Keep the meat juicy
Finish cooking the sauce while the meat is set aside. Return the meat near the end and give it only the cooking time it needs.