Pappardelle with hare sauce - Italian Pappardelle with hare sauce from Tuscan Cooking

Pappardelle sulla lepre (Pappardelle with hare sauce)

Preparation time: 40 minutes.
Cooking time: two hours.
One carrot.
One onion.
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil.
Parsley.
2kg hare (or rabbit)
500g fresh pasta.
One glass red wine.
2 tomatoes.
One lemon.
Parmesan.
Salt.

Wash, peel and finely chop the carrot, onion, celery, and parsley. Fry over a medium heat in a large pan.

Cut the cleaned hare into large pieces and add to the vegetables. Increase the heat and brown on all sides; add the glass of wine and let it evaporate rapidly.

When the hare is well cooked, remove it from the pan, bone then chop the meat and return it to the rest of the sauce. Add a glass of warm water and the peeled, chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook over a low heat for ten minutes.

If liked, add some grated lemon rind, though be careful to avoid the pith, as this lends a bitter flavour to the meat.

Cut fresh pasta into broad strips (pappardelle) and cook in boiling, salted water.

When cooked, drain and tip into the pan on top of the sauce. Toss gently for a minute and serve, topped with grated Parmesan, in a large bowl, warmed with some of the pasta water. Domenico Romoli wrote: "Hare with pappardellePappardelle with hare sauceuse fine, soft lasagne to line the bowls and pour the meat sauce on top, flavoured with pepper".

Pellegrino Artusi suggested adding "a pinch of nutmeg", but added, "I think it enhances the flavour, but if you don't like it then don't bother".

In Florence, the pappardelle are traditionally placed on top of the sauce and then gently mixed through and not vice versa, as this method tends to spoil the subtlety of the flavours.

The Art of Cookery: Pappardelle with hare sauce - Italian Pappardelle with hare sauce from Tuscan Cooking.