This Italian Comfort Food Is A Staple In Tuscany, But Underrated In The US

Food lovers have plenty of Italian dishes to sample, but some regional specialties deserve additional consideration. Hailing from Tuscany, pappardelle al cinghiale is pasta served with a wild boar ragu and remains a firm favorite across the region. The deliciously rich dish evolved from a resourceful approach to meal-making known as cucina povera, which is the traditional practice of making something delicious from whatever ingredients are available locally, and is about making the most of a few items.

Wild boar freely roam Tuscan forests, and boar hunting has long been a winter-season pastime for residents to cull the numbers. Thick cut pappardelle pasta — which includes the Italian word "pappare" meaning to gobble up with eagerness — is the perfect accompaniment as the large sheets absorb all the flavor of the sauce, which clings to it. The sauce is similar to many Italian meat sauces, cooked in the ragu style. Vegetables and aromatics are softened in a pan before boar, tomato sauce, red wine, and a variety of herbs and seasonings are added. The taste is aromatic and earthy, and when combined with the sturdy pappardelle pasta, becomes a hearty dish that's perfect on cold nights and days that call for an extra boost of comfort.

Since wild boar never became a mainstream ingredient in the United States, pappardelle al cinghiale didn't find its way into American kitchens. It's not exactly easy to walk into a grocery store here and purchase wild boar, and cooks who aren't as familiar with the game meat may hesitate to buy an unfamiliar product. Additionally, wild boar meat is often marinated for hours before being simmered in sauce, so this recipe isn't a fast one. From start to finish, count on the better part of a day — 16 hours — to marinate, simmer, and serve pappardelle al cinghiale.

The flat, wide pappardelle pasta variety is also not a commonly used ingredient in American homes. But for committed and curious home cooks, wild boar can be found at specialty markets or online farm-to-fork retailers, and pork can serve as a tasty substitute. The noodles used to plate the dish can also be swapped out for an in-house favorite like slimmer tagliatelle or fettuccine. Those who successfully make this meal for themselves may find it becomes part of their preferred cold-season menus, as this satisfying and robust recipe appeals to meat lovers, regardless of nationality. And if you do find some wild boar to buy, you can make batches of the ragu and freeze them.