Tagliatelle al Sugo di Cinghiale
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Wild boar meat, cubed — 600 g (1.3 lb)
- Olive oil — 2 tbsp
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Carrot, chopped — 1
- Celery stalk, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Bay leaves — 2
- Red wine — 250 ml (1 cup)
- Canned crushed tomatoes — 400 g (14 oz)
- Beef or vegetable stock — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Fresh tagliatelle — 400 g (14 oz)
- Salt and black pepper, — to taste
- Grated Parmesan, to serve
Method
- Marinate the boar meat in the red wine overnight in the refrigerator, if time allows.
- Drain the meat, reserving the wine, and pat dry.
- Heat oil in a large pot and brown the meat in batches; set aside.
- Sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the same pot until softened.
- Return the meat to the pot with the bay leaves and reserved wine; simmer until the wine reduces by half.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stock, then cover and simmer gently for 2-2.5 hours until the meat is very tender.
- Shred the meat slightly with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water until al dente, then toss with the ragù.
- Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan.
Introduction: Fresh ribbon pasta tossed in a rich, slow-cooked wild boar ragù.
Cultural Background: Wild boar roams the wooded hills around San Marino, and this rich ragù reflects the country’s connection to its hunting traditions, a hearty pasta dish especially popular in the cooler months.
Tips: Marinating the boar overnight helps tenderise the meat and mellow its strong flavour. Simmer low and slow for the most tender result — don’t rush this step.
Variations: Add a few juniper berries to the marinade for a traditional forest flavour; substitute beef if wild boar is unavailable, reducing the marinating time.
Storage: Store the ragù separately from cooked pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat the ragù gently in a covered pot over low heat, adding a splash of stock if needed, before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.
Nutrition: Approx. 520 kcal, 32 g protein, 55 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat per serving.
FAQs:
Q: Can I use pork instead of wild boar?
A: Yes, pork shoulder makes a good substitute, though the flavour will be milder than true wild boar.
Q: Why marinate the meat in wine first?
A: It helps tenderise the meat and mellow the strong, gamey flavour characteristic of wild boar.
- Wild boar meat, cubed — 600 g (1.3 lb)
- Olive oil — 2 tbsp
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Carrot, chopped — 1
- Celery stalk, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Bay leaves — 2
- Red wine — 250 ml (1 cup)
- Canned crushed tomatoes — 400 g (14 oz)
- Beef or vegetable stock — 500 ml (2 cups)
- Fresh tagliatelle — 400 g (14 oz)
- Salt and black pepper, — to taste
- Grated Parmesan, to serve
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