Pappardelle pasta with a wild boar ragu sauce

This classic Tuscan dish is perfect to exalt the flavors of a Nebbiolo d’Alba Roccheri Marchesi di Barolo because the robust flavor of the wild boar pairs well with the structure of the wine.

Ingredients for 4 people:

350g pappardelle (or similar pasta), 400g ground wild boar, 1 finely chopped onion, 2 carrots cut into small cubes, 2 celery sticks cut into cubes, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 glass red wine, 1 400g can of peeled tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, 2 rosemary sprigs, salt and pepper as needed, olive oil as needed and ground Parmigiano for topping.

Directions:

Heat some olive oil at a medium heat in a large pan. Add in the ground boar and brown it, then remove the meat and keep to the side.

Use the same pan to sauté the onion, carrots, celery and garlic until they are soft. Add the tomato paste to the vegetables and mix well.

Pour the wine into the pan and let it boil for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the peeled tomatoes, bay leaves and rosemary sprigs.

Put the boar meat back into the pan and cover the pan. Simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring every once in a while, to allow the ragu sauce to thicken and the flavors to blend.

Boil the pappardelle in abundant salted water following the instructions on the package. Drain the pasta when it is still slightly undercooked (al dente).

Remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs from the wild boar ragu when it is cooked.

Add the pappardelle to the ragu sauce and mix well.

Serve the pappardelle hot and, if you like, grind some black pepper on top. A healthy amount of ground Parmigiano should also be added, if everyone agrees.

Wine to pair: 

Nebbiolo d’Alba Roccheri dei Marchesi di Barolo

The color is ruby-red with garnet highlights. The bouquet has fruity notes reminiscent of wild berries and fragrant hints of violet and wild rose. A light, spicy vanilla note enhances the ample, complex bouquet further.The taste is intense but perfectly balanced and harmonious, with understated, docile tannins.

Production area: Hills made of limestone and clay soil, from which Nebbiolo extracts many mineral nutrients that enrich its structure; while taking on fragrant and fruity aromas from soil rich in limestone and fine quartz sand.

Grape variety: 100% Nebbiolo. The vines are upwards-trained with a vertical-trellised Guyot system on steep hills.

Vinification: The grapes are collected and quickly taken to the cellar where they are destemmed and softly pressed to extract only the most noble and aromatic notes from the peel and the outer area of the grape. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in thermo-conditioned tanks. Maceration lasts for all the fermentation process. During this time, the wine is regularly recycled from the bottom to the top of the tank so that the must takes on a higher alcohol content day after day, while extracting the tannins and the color gradually and delicately. The first racking is done when the natural sugars of the grape are totally converted into alcohol.

Ageing: The wine is racked into cement tanks that are lined with fiberglass and isolated by cork, where it is stored at a post-fermentation temperature of 22° C (72° F) for a long period of time. In this way, malolactic fermentation starts spontaneously and ends quickly. The wine is then aged in small oak barrels and later it is blended in larger barrels which help to complete its evolution, enhancing the harmony and elegance of the bouquet. The wine reaches its peak condition between 2 and 8 years of age.

Alcohol content: 13,50% Vol.

Serving temperature: 18°C (64°F)

Suggested food pairings: Thanks to its structure, the wine is well-matched with tasty appetizers, pasta dishes with rich sauces, roasted or stewed meats. It is also an ideal companion for fresh cold cuts and aged cheeses.

THIS RICEPE IS OFFERED BY MARCHESI DI BAROLO

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