After a week of organizing Italy vacations for others, I was feeling a little nostalgic (and envious, I might add!). So, for me, there's only one way to tame that green-eyed monster: cook up an Italian feast! This time, the mood called for one of my all-time favorite Tuscan dishes: Pappardelle al Cinghiale (pronounced pa-par-dehli al ching-ee-al-ay).
This is no spaghetti and meat sauce dish, folks. Uh-uh...this is the real deal. Local to the Tuscany region, cinghiale (wild boar) is one of the best meats around. It has a distinct taste--much richer than pork. Since cinghiale is not available in Texas (and, no...Texas wild boar is no substitute--trust me!), I chose to use a pork shoulder roast.
So, if you're ready, I'll share my recipe with you:
INGREDIENTS
4 lbs pork shoulder roast (quartered; seasoned w/salt and pepper; dredged in flour)
1 cup diced pancetta
Diced onion, carrots, fennel, garlic (soffritto)
1.5 lbs crimini mushrooms (quartered)
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (drained)
3 tbsp. each of mushroom demi-glace and tomato paste
1 cup each red wine and chicken broth
pappardelle (cooked al dente)
Using medium-high heat, warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Brown the pork roast on all sides and then transfer to a plate. Add the pancetta and brown. Add soffritto; cook 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add a another tablespoon of oil to the pan; add the mushrooms and cook for about 15 minutes; transfer to the bowl of vegetables. Add tomatoes, demi-glace, tomato paste, wine and broth; bring to a simmer. Add the pork, pancetta, soffritto and mushroom mixture. Cover and simmer for 5 hours. When done, use tongs to gently work the meat, pulling it apart. Serve over pasta.
HEADS UP!: This makes a huge pot of ragu. Any remaining can be frozen and reheated later (in fact, it tastes even better the second time around!).
NOTE: Next time, I want to try rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves in lieu of fennel. I think the combined flavors of these herbs will add even more complexity to this well-deserving dish!
