Ragutino di Cinghiale

Name: Ragutino di Cinghiale
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italiana (Toscana)
Ingredients: 400 g fresh egg Pappardelle pasta (wide flat ribbons); 600 g wild boar meat (or high-quality beef chuck if unavailable) (trimmed and very finely hand-chopped with a knife); 80 g Italian pancetta or thick-cut bacon (finely minced into tiny cubes); 1 piece medium carrot (finely minced for the soffritto matrix); 1 stalk fresh celery (finely minced); 0.5 piece white onion (finely minced); 2 cloves garlic (finely minced); 1.5 cups dry robust Italian red wine (such as Chianti) (divided for marinating and braising); 400 g canned peeled whole plum tomatoes (finely hand-crushed); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 4 pieces juniper berries (lightly crushed—essential for true wild game harmony); 1 sprig fresh rosemary and a bay leaf (tied together with kitchen twine); 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 to taste coarse sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

A rustic masterpiece from the hills of Siena: wide ribbons of fresh egg pasta (pappardelle) smothered in a rich, deeply concentrated wild boar ragù slow-cooked for hours with red Chianti wine, juniper berries, and savory tomatoes.

200 min Italiana (Toscana) 4 servings

The story behind

You seriously have absolutely no idea what an incredible, deeply comforting and rich flavor experience this dish turns out to be—it is pure Tuscan happiness served in a bowl! The very first time I experienced authentic *Pappardelle al Ragutino di Cinghiale* was at a tiny, stone-walled trattoria in Siena during a freezing autumn evening, where the mesmerizing aroma of red wine reductions and slow-braised game filled the air. It completely blew my mind that they called it a 'Ragutino' (using the diminutive), because the flavor profile is wonderfully bold and robust; however, the meat is diced so meticulously and simmered for so many hours that the wild boar becomes completely tender, melting like butter. The local chefs proudly shared with me that the ultimate golden secret to softening the rich, gamey edge of wild boar is marinating it overnight in red wine with rosemary and juniper berries, and then slow-braising it on the lowest heat setting for three hours until thick. Personally, I love preparing this on lazy Sundays because letting the heavy pot simmer on the stove while the whole house fills with that rustic fragrance is an absolute joy. It looks identical to the photo layout when you gather the wide egg strands into a beautiful mound on a textured white plate, blanket the crown with the chunky concentrated meat, and finish with a lavish dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese across one side, exactly like the presentation in Ragutino di Cinghiale_2.jpg. Pair with a full-bodied Chianti Classico or a glass of Brunello di Montalcino for a legendary pairing. You will fall in love with it completely!

Ingredients

400 g fresh egg Pappardelle pasta (wide flat ribbons)
600 g wild boar meat (or high-quality beef chuck if unavailable) (trimmed and very finely hand-chopped with a knife)
80 g Italian pancetta or thick-cut bacon (finely minced into tiny cubes)
1 piece medium carrot (finely minced for the soffritto matrix)
1 stalk fresh celery (finely minced)
0.5 piece white onion (finely minced)
2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1.5 cups dry robust Italian red wine (such as Chianti) (divided for marinating and braising)
400 g canned peeled whole plum tomatoes (finely hand-crushed)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 pieces juniper berries (lightly crushed—essential for true wild game harmony)
1 sprig fresh rosemary and a bay leaf (tied together with kitchen twine)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 to taste coarse sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

1

Highly recommended prep: Submerge the chopped wild boar cubes in a bowl with a cup of red wine, the bay leaf, and the crushed juniper berries. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, drain thoroughly and pat completely dry with paper towels.
2

In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and crisp up the pancetta cubes for 3 minutes until their fat renders beautifully.
3

Drop in the finely minced onion, carrot, and celery (the classic Italian soffritto). Sauté slowly for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until caramelized and soft. Toss the minced garlic in for the final 2 minutes.
4

Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the finely chopped wild boar meat to the pot, and sear dynamically for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up clump structures with a wooden spoon until browned uniformly.
5

Pour in the remaining half cup of robust red wine to deglaze the bottom fond matrix, scraping up the caramelized bits with your spoon, and let it boil for 3 minutes until the alcohol smell dissipates completely.
6

Stir in the tomato paste, hand-crushed plum tomatoes, the crushed juniper berries, and the herb bundle. Season with a light pinch of sea salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.
7

Drop the heat down to the lowest possible simmer setting, pop the lid on tightly, and let the ragutino braise slow and low for 2.5 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally; watch the meat soften down completely into a glistening, deep amber-red reduction sauce.
8

As the sauce reaches its peak, boil a large pot of heavily salted water and cook your fresh pappardelle for about 2 to 3 minutes until perfectly 'al dente'. Drain, saving a small ladle of the starchy cooking water.
9

Transfer the hot drained pasta directly into the Dutch oven with the wild boar ragutino, splash in a tiny drop of the pasta water, and toss gently for 1 minute until the wide ribbons are flawlessly lacquered.
10

Serve hot in wide elegant porcelain bowls, ensuring a heavy pile of the rich meat sits right on top, and scatter a beautiful crescent moon of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese across one side, mimicking Ragutino di Cinghiale_2.jpg down to every single gorgeous detail.

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Ragutino di Cinghiale

The story behind

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