Wild Boar Lasagna Recipe

Prepare the meat

Pat the wild boar cubes dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper.

Brown the boar

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches so as not to steam the meat, brown the boar cubes on all sides until deeply browned (3–4 minutes per side). Transfer browned pieces to a plate and set aside.

Render pancetta and vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the pot. Add diced pancetta and cook until translucent and slightly crisp, about 4 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sweat until softened and beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 more minute.

Deglaze and braise

Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes until it darkens. Pour in 300 ml red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits; simmer until mostly reduced, about 6–8 minutes. Return browned boar to the pot and add crushed tomatoes, 400 ml stock, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp sugar (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer.

Slow-cook the ragù

Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer very gently for 2.5–3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the boar is fork-tender and sauce is thick. Alternatively, cover and transfer to a 150°C (300°F) oven for 2.5–3 hours. If sauce becomes too dry, add up to 100 ml stock or water. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs; adjust seasoning to taste.

Shred and finish

Using two forks or tongs, shred the braised boar into bite-sized pieces within the sauce (leave some texture). If the sauce is very chunky, mash some pieces with the back of a spoon to create a cohesive ragù. Keep warm while assembling lasagna.

Make the ricotta mixture: In a bowl, stir together 700 g ricotta, 1 large egg, 100 g grated Pecorino/Parmesan, 12 chopped basil leaves, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper until smooth and homogenous. Taste and adjust seasoning. This will be the creamy layer between ragù and pasta.

Prepare mozzarella: Shred or thinly slice 300 g mozzarella and set aside in a small bowl for layering.

Preheat oven and prepare dish: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly oil a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

If using no-boil lasagna sheets: ensure you have 12 sheets and proceed. If using fresh pasta, blanch sheets in salted boiling water for 20–30 seconds, then transfer to an even layer on a towel to stop cooking.

Assemble first layer: Spread a thin layer (about 1/2 cup / 120 ml) of ragù across the bottom of the prepared dish to prevent sticking.

Layering (repeat to build 3–4 layers): Place 3 lasagna sheets in the bottom. Spoon and spread about 1.5–2 cups (350–450 g) of wild boar ragù evenly over the pasta. Dollop and spread about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the ragù (use a spatula to distribute). Sprinkle about 75 g of shredded mozzarella and 2 tbsp grated Pecorino over the ricotta. Repeat: pasta, ragù, ricotta, mozzarella, until you have 3–4 layers and use remaining ragù on the topmost pasta.

Top and finish: For the final top layer, place remaining lasagna sheets, spread remaining ragù to cover, sprinkle remaining mozzarella and remaining grated Pecorino. Dot the top with 2 tbsp butter cut into small pieces to encourage browning.

Bake: Cover the dish tightly with foil (sprayed or tented so it doesn't touch cheese) and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Rest and garnish: Let the lasagna rest 15 minutes before slicing to set. Garnish with whole fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired. Serve warm.