Pappardelle al Cinghiale — Tuscan Wild Boar Ragù

Place the boar chunks in a deep bowl. Add 375 ml of the wine, 1 halved onion, 1 carrot, 2 celery stalks, 2 garlic cloves, 6 juniper berries, 1 rosemary sprig, and 2 bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours.

Drain the meat and discard the marinade liquid and all the marinade vegetables — do not save it. Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels; any surface moisture will steam rather than sear.

Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy casserole (cast iron or enamelled) over high heat until shimmering. Sear the boar in batches — do not crowd the pan — until deeply browned on all sides, about 5–6 min per batch. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Dice the remaining onion, carrot, and celery stalks. Add them to the same pot and scrape up any browned bits. Sweat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 8–10 min.

Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves (sliced thin) and 6 juniper berries (lightly crushed). Cook 1 min until fragrant.

Return the seared boar to the pot. Pour in the remaining 375 ml wine, bring to a vigorous boil, and cook 2 min to drive off the alcohol.

Add the passata, fresh rosemary sprig, and 2 bay leaves. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour in just enough cold water to nearly cover the meat (~200 ml).

Cover, reduce heat to a bare simmer, and cook 2–3 hours for farmed boar, up to 4 hours for older wild animals. The meat is ready when it shreds between two forks with no resistance. Remove the lid for the final 30 min to concentrate the sauce.

Lift the meat onto a board. Remove and discard the rosemary and bay leaves. Shred the meat coarsely with two forks — some larger pieces are desirable. Return everything to the sauce and stir through. Taste and adjust salt.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the pappardelle until just al dente. Reserve a full ladle (about 150 ml) of pasta water before draining.

Fold the pappardelle into the ragù off the heat, adding a generous splash of pasta water. Toss steadily for 60 seconds until each ribbon is coated and the sauce clings rather than pools. Serve immediately in warm bowls.