Save this recipe for later?
If you want to save this recipe for later, you can print it, bookmark this page or save it to Pinterest.
Pappardelle with venison ragu
This rich slow-cooked venison ragu with pasta recipe from North-Eastern Italy is perfect for special occasions and cold winter nights.
Ingredients
- 400 g pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
- 500 g venison cut into small chunks (shoulder is good)
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 carrots cleaned and finely chopped
- 1-2 celery stalk cleaned and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 200 ml red wine
- 200 ml water or game stock
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 juniper berries
- black pepper to taste
- salt for pasta and to taste
- 300 g tomato passata or fresh ripe tomatoes (San Marzano) peeled and seeds removed
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the venison into cubes and marinate in white wine for 2-3 hours.
- Chop the carrots, celery and onion finely.
- In a deep frying pan or skillet, fry the peeled garlic clove in heated extra virgin olive oil until it starts to brown slightly. Add the vegetables.
- Once the vegetables start to soften, remove the venison from the white wine and add it to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, turning the meat to make so it browns on all sides.
- Turn up the heat and add the red wine.
- Allow the alcohol to evaporate slightly then add the juniper berries, the piece of cinnamon, the cloves, some ground black pepper and the bay leaves. You can also put these herbs and spices into a herb sachet and place it in the pan to remove when the sauce is ready. (I didn't use a sachet or try to remove the spices)
- Add the tomato passata or peeled tomatoes ( I used fresh tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeds removed and diced)
- Stir and then cook covered over a very low heat for about 3 hours taking care that it does not dry out too much. If necessary, add water or game stock or more red wine and stir occasionally.
- While cooking, add salt as desired.
- Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt when it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is cooked, save a cup of the cooking water and drain.
- If the ragu seems dry, add some of the saved pasta cooking water and reheat it if you cooked it earlier.
- Return the pasta to the pan you cooked it in and add some of the venison ragu. Mix together well and plate with more ragu on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
The preparation time does not include the time needed to marinate the venison.
You can use different kinds of pasta for this recipe. Traditionally, it is served with ribbons such as pappardelle, tagliatelle or fettucine but it can also be eaten with short pasta such as penne or farfalle.
Pages: Page 1 Page 2
Michel bonnet says
Hello Jacqueline,
Fantastic Venison recipe – very tasty! Thank you.
Question: Can I cook the Ragù in the oven? slow and steady.
If so, what temperature (fan oven) and for how long?
Thank you for your advice.
Michel
Jacqui says
Hi Michel. Please excuse the late reply! Yes I think the ragu can be cooked in the oven. I would imagine either way it would need about 3 hours on 180°. However, I’ve not cooked it that way so I guess it would be best to check the meat occasionally. It may need less time or more.