Fettucine Al Cinghiale (of Gf Penne) Recipe
Fettucine pasta, made in-house, sauteed with a slow-braised wild boar sauce, flavored with bay leaves, thyme, and juniper berries.
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Ingredients
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Pasta (gluten-free penne as alternative to house fettucine)
Wild boar ragù (slow-braised sauce)
Finish & garnish
Method
Pasta (gluten-free penne as alternative to house fettucine)
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Add the gluten-free penne and cook until al dente according to package instructions (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1½ cups of pasta cooking water before draining. Drain penne and set aside.
When ready to serve, toss the drained penne with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil to prevent sticking; keep warm.
Wild boar ragù (slow-braised sauce)
Prep and brown the meat
Pat the wild boar pieces dry and season evenly with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust the pieces with 2 tablespoons flour, shaking off excess. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or braiser, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, sear the boar in a single layer without crowding until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned meat to a plate and repeat as needed, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter for the last batch for color and flavor.
Sweat the vegetables
Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery to the pot with a pinch of salt and cook gently until softened and beginning to color, about 8–10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.
Deglaze and build flavor
Pour in 1 cup dry red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and reduce the wine by about half, about 4–6 minutes.
Braise
Return the browned boar and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the crushed canned tomatoes (28 oz) and 2 cups beef or game stock. Stir in 2 bay leaves, 4 thyme sprigs, 8 lightly crushed juniper berries, 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover partially and transfer to a low oven (300°F / 150°C) or keep on the stovetop over the lowest heat. Braise gently until the boar is very tender and pulls apart easily, 2½–3 hours. Check occasionally and add up to 1 cup additional stock or water if sauce reduces too far.
Shred and reduce
Once the meat is tender, remove the boar pieces and shred with two forks or chop coarsely. Discard thyme stems and bay leaves; pick out juniper berries (or crush some into the sauce if you prefer stronger flavor). Return shredded meat to the pot. If the sauce is very thin, simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until it reaches a thick, spoon-coating consistency, about 15–25 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Finish the ragù
Stir 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano into the hot ragù off the heat to add body and depth. Keep warm while you finish pasta.
Finish & garnish
In a large sauté pan or shallow braiser, add the warmed ragù and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the drained penne (or fresh fettucine if using) and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta cooking water 2–4 tablespoons at a time as needed to create a glossy, clingy sauce that coats the pasta. Stir in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to mount the sauce and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.