Wild Boar Ragu

Good Pair Days -
  • 700g chopped wild boar (can be done with beef or lamb)
  • 4 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 4 rashers of smoked pancetta, cut into 1cm cubes
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 crushed garlic cloves
  • 75g sliced black olives
  • 2 tsp crushed juniper berries
  • 500ml red wine
  • 400g chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 rosemary stalk
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Tagliatelle or pappardelle, cooked, to serve
  • Parmesan, to serve
  • Season the meat and fry in oil until browned on all sides. Transfer to a casserole or large saucepan. Pour a little more oil into the pan and fry the pancetta until golden, and scatter over the boar meat. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, olives, and juniper berries and cook for 2 minutes more. Chuck the lot in the casserole and pour over the wine.
  • Stir in the tomatoes, puree, and 400ml of water. Add the stock cube, all the herbs and the sugar, and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer, covered with a lid, for 2 hours - you might need to add a splash more water - then remove the thyme and rosemary stalks, and season to taste. Serve with al dente pasta and shavings of parmesan, and enjoy!
2 hr
6 serving