Filipino pappardelle

Add a splash of olive oil to a large pan on high heat. Add the pork and fry until the meat is fully cooked and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add a good pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper to season the meat.

Add the red pepper flakes and onion to the pan and continue frying 2 to 3 minutes until the onions soften. Add the garlic, tomato paste and peppers and fry another 2 to 3 minutes until the tomato paste starts to caramelize. Stir in 3 cups of cold water and the maple syrup and reduce the heat to medium. Let the sauce simmer while you cook the noodles.

Get a large pot of salted water boiling and cook the pasta per the package instructions. Keep an eye on the sauce and add extra water as needed to keep it from drying out. When the noodles are a minute away from being cooked, drag them into the sauce along with a bit of pasta water. Check the seasoning and add extra salt as needed.