Pappardelle al Cinghiale – Indulge in Tuscan Comfort - Wednesday, Week 27

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Serves: 4

Continuing our Tuscan journey, we present you with Pappardelle al Cinghiale - a hearty pasta dish with wild boar sauce that embodies Tuscan comfort food. Paired with a full-bodied and robust Brunello di Montalcino, this is a match made in culinary heaven.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) pappardelle pasta
• 1 lb (450 g) wild boar meat, cut into chunks
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (240 ml) red wine
• 1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preparation Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, and onion and sauté until softened.
2. Add the wild boar meat to the pan and brown it on all sides. Once browned, add the minced garlic and continue to cook for a few more minutes.
3. Pour the red wine into the pan. Let it simmer until the wine has reduced by half.
4. Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for about 3 hours until the meat is tender and the flavors have melded together.
5. When the sauce is nearly done, cook the pappardelle pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water.
6. Toss the cooked pasta with the wild boar sauce, adding pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve the pasta hot, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Relish this hearty Pappardelle al Cinghiale and let the bold flavors take you on a culinary adventure to Tuscany. Buon appetito!