Pappardelle with Wild Boar, Cannonau and Dark Chocolate

Pappardelle with Wild Boar, Cannonau and Dark Chocolate

Story of the Dish

This is a deep, powerful pasta inspired by Sardinian and Tuscan countryside cooking. Wild boar is slowly braised with Cannonau wine, herbs and tomato until tender. A small amount of dark chocolate is added at the end to give bitterness, depth and elegance.

The chocolate is not there to make it sweet. It works like a spice, making the ragù darker and more complex.

Ingredients

Serves 4–6

• 500 g pappardelle / about 1 lb

• 700 g wild boar or pork shoulder, diced / about 1 1/2 lb

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 carrot, finely chopped

• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

• 500 ml Cannonau wine / about 2 cups

• 250 ml tomato passata / about 1 cup

• 1 rosemary sprig

• 1 bay leaf

• 15 g dark chocolate / about 1/2 oz

• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil / 1/4 cup

• Salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

Preparation

If possible, marinate the wild boar overnight with Cannonau, rosemary, bay leaf, onion, carrot and celery.

Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry. Save the wine.

In a heavy pot, heat olive oil and brown the meat well. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook slowly until soft.

Add Cannonau wine and reduce. Add tomato passata, rosemary and bay leaf.

Cover and simmer for 2–3 hours, until the meat is tender and breaks apart. Add the dark chocolate at the end and stir until melted into the ragù.

Cook the pappardelle in salted boiling water, but remove them 2 minutes before al dente. Save pasta water.

Transfer the pappardelle into a wide pan with the wild boar ragù. Add pasta water little by little and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce.

The ragù must tighten around the pappardelle until every ribbon is coated.

Wine Pairing

Pair with Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva. The wine has enough structure for the wild boar and mirrors the flavor of the sauce.

Chef Tips

Use very little chocolate. It should add bitterness and depth, not sweetness. Finish the pappardelle in the ragù so the sauce grips the pasta instead of sitting on top.

Chef Gianluca Deiana