Pappardelle al Cinghiale (Pappardelle al Cinghiale)

Pappardelle al Cinghiale is the signature pasta of Tuscany's hill country — broad, egg-rich noodles paired with a slow-cooked wild boar ragù that has been seasoned with juniper, red wine, and rosemary. Wild boar (cinghiale) has been hunted in Tuscan forests since Etruscan times, and this dish appears on virtually every trattoria menu from Siena to the Maremma coast.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Wild boar ragù:

• 800 g (1¾ lb) wild boar shoulder (or pork shoulder as substitute), cut into large chunks
• 300 ml (1¼ cups) full-bodied red wine (Chianti or Morellino di Scansano)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 400 g (14 oz) canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 4 juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Pasta:

• 400 g (14 oz) dried pappardelle (or 500 g fresh)
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to serve

Instructions

1. Marinate the boar overnight in the red wine with juniper, rosemary, and bay. This draws out the gaminess. Drain, reserving the wine, and pat the meat dry.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the boar pieces in batches until deeply caramelised on all sides, 4–5 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, cook the onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto) over medium heat for 10–12 minutes until softened and golden. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
4. Return the meat to the pan. Add the reserved wine and boil 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add the crushed tomatoes, juniper, rosemary, and bay.
5. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook over very low heat for 2½–3 hours until the boar is completely tender and beginning to fall apart. Shred the meat coarsely with two forks back into the sauce.
6. Cook pappardelle in well-salted boiling water until al dente (2–3 minutes for fresh, 8–9 for dried). Toss with the ragù, adding a ladle of pasta water to loosen if needed. Serve with Parmigiano.

Cook's Notes: The overnight marinade is not optional for wild boar — it significantly tames the gaminess. Pork shoulder produces a delicious ragù if boar is unavailable. This ragù freezes exceptionally well.