Pappardelle Recipe

Prepare meat

Pat the boar pieces dry with paper towel. Season thoroughly with 1½ tsp salt and ¾ tsp black pepper. Lightly dust the pieces in the flour, shaking off excess.

Brown the meat

In a large heavy Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter. When hot and shimmering, working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the floured boar pieces until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned pieces to a plate and repeat until all meat is browned. There should be fond (browned bits) in the pot.

Sweat the mirepoix

Reduce heat to medium. If the pot is dry add another teaspoon of oil. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to caramelize slightly. Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by roughly half, about 6–8 minutes.

Combine and braise

Return the browned boar pieces and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef/game stock, bay leaves, bruised rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, and crushed juniper berries (if using). Add the remaining ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer.

Slow-cook

Cover the pot partially (lid slightly ajar) and transfer to an oven preheated to 150°C (300°F), or keep on the stovetop at the lowest simmer. Cook slowly until the meat is fork-tender and sauce is rich and reduced, about 2.5–3.5 hours. Check every 45–60 minutes, giving a gentle stir and skimming any excess fat from the surface.

Finish the ragù

When the meat is tender, remove the pot from the oven. Use tongs to transfer boar pieces to a cutting board; shred or roughly chop the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding any large sinew. Return the meat to the pot. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered on medium-low on the stovetop until it coats the back of a spoon, about 10–20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with the brown sugar/honey and a splash (1 tsp) of red wine vinegar if needed to balance acidity. Remove and discard bay leaves and herb stems. Stir in a drizzle (1 tsp) of extra virgin olive oil for shine.

Cook the pappardelle

Bring salted water to a rolling boil (about 4 liters with 1–2 tbsp kosher salt). Add the dried pappardelle and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 7–10 minutes for dried; 2–4 minutes for fresh). Reserve 1–1½ cups (240–360 ml) of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, leaving it slightly wet.

Combine pasta and ragù

Add the drained pappardelle to the pot with the ragù (or transfer ragù to a large sauté pan). Toss gently over low heat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen and help the sauce coat the noodles. The sauce should cling to the pappardelle but not be soupy. If needed, add up to ½ cup (120 ml) more pasta water.

Serve

Divide pappardelle and ragù among warmed plates. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Finish each portion with a light drizzle (about 1 tsp) of extra virgin olive oil and a crack of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately.