Chiudi

RGFE

Pappardelle with hare sauce

Cook & Prep Time

2h 30 min plus time for the dough for the pappardelle to rest and 24 hours to marinate the hare

Serves

4

Pappardelle with hare sauce

This is a rich and gamey sauce for a rustic lunch dish typical of the Chianti region in Italy – slow-cooked in red wine and full of flavour!

Ingredients

For the pasta
  • 14 oz flour
  • 4 eggs
For the sauce
  • 1 hare about 2.5 kg in weight
  • 1 onion, chopped finely
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
  • 1 stick of celery, chopped finely
  • 1 carrot, chopped finely
  • 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped finely
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 10 leaves of sage, five leaves chopped finely and the rest left for garnish
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 250 ml Chianti riserva or a full-bodied red wine
  • 400 ml wine vinegar
  • 500g canned whole peeled tomatoes
  • 70g parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper

Directions

Step 1

Marinate the hare for 24 hours, covered in water and vinegar. When you are ready to make the sauce, rinse it well under running water. Take out the liver and heart, clean away all the blood and remove the skin. Cut the hare into large pieces and dry on paper towels.

Step 2

Sieve the flour onto a pastry board, make a well in the centre and add the eggs; knead until you have a smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Roll out a thin sheet, and cut into strips of about ¾ inch wide for the tagliatelle. Leave them to dry on a floured tray.

Step 4

Sauté the chopped onion, garlic, celery, carrot, parsley, sage and rosemary gently in the olive oil in a large fireproof terracotta pot with the bay leaf and thyme. Then add the heart and liver cut into dice and the pieces of hare and let them brown. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook gently for two hours. Add the wine little by little and stir occasionally to make sure the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 5

When cooked, remove the bay leaf. Take out the pieces of hare and remove the bones (this should be easy as the tender meat will fall from the bones), chop the meat roughly and put it back into the sauce.

Step 6

Cook the pappardelle in plenty of boiling salted water for about 4 minutes from when the water comes back to the boil, drain and dress with the sauce; garnished with the remaining sage leaves.