I’ve been obsessed with Italian wild boar pasta since my trip to Tuscany last fall. That rich, gamey flavor just haunted me, so I finally decided to recreate cinghiale pappardelle at home. Spoiler: it ain’t fancy restaurant stuff, but damn it’s good if you do it right.
The Wild Boar Hunt (Supermarket Edition)
First hurdle: finding cinghiale meat. My local butcher just laughed when I asked. Ended up driving 40 minutes to this specialty Italian market – paid $25 for frozen chunks. Thawed it overnight in the fridge, then diced it rough like the Tuscan grandma on YouTube said. Browned the pieces in olive oil until crusty, then set aside.
Slaving Over the Sauce
Chopped onions, carrots and celery – so much chopping. Fried them in the same boar-fatty oil until soft. Added garlic and two big spoons of tomato paste. Let that caramelize before throwing in a whole bottle of cheap Chianti. Simmered until it reduced by half. Tasted it… bitter as hell! Panic moment. But then I remembered: sugar! Added a teaspoon and kept simmering.
When the wine wasn’t punishing anymore, I dumped in:
- The browned boar meat
- 3 bay leaves
- Big pinch of rosemary
- Handful of dried porcini (secret weapon!)
- Enough beef stock to cover everything
Turned it down to the lowest bubble and walked away for three freaking hours. Stirred occasionally while watching soccer.
Pasta Disaster Turnaround
Bought fresh pappardelle – felt fancy till it glued itself together in the pot. Forgot to salt the water properly like an idiot. Drained it semi-wet to save the situation. Tossed it straight into the finished sauce with some pasta water. Stirred violently until the ribbons got coated. Last minute grated pecorino over the top.
The Verdict
Meat was fork-tender and earthy. Sauce clung perfectly to the sloppy pasta. Way better than that watery version I had in Florence. My kitchen smelled like a Tuscan farmhouse for days. Will I make it again? Probably not soon – hunting ingredients is expensive and time-consuming. But tonight? Totally worth the chaos.
