Egg pappardelle alla lepre
Instructions:
- 5 oz (150 ml) extra-virgin olive oil;
- 1⁄4 bunch parsley, chopped;
- 1 large onion, chopped;
- 2 stalks celery, chopped;
- 2 carrots, chopped;
- 1 hare, cut up into 6 pieces, reserving the head, lungs, liver, and blood;
- 8 oz (240 ml) Chianti;
- 4 oz (120 ml) milk;
- Salt and pepper;
- 1 lb (454 g) pappardelle (wide fresh egg fettuccine);
- 1⁄2 c (112 g) grated pecorino cheese;
- 1⁄2 c (112 g) grated parmesan cheese.
- In a large pot combine the oil and the chopped vegetables. Cook vegetables over medium heat until beginning to brown. Add hare parts, including head, lungs, and heart. Reserve liver. Cook until all the liquid from the meat evaporates. Add wine and let cook until it evaporates. Add hare’s blood, diluted with a bit of warm water to avoid coagulation. A few minutes later, add milk. Stir well, cover, and let cook until hare is tender. Remove meat, let cool, and bone. Cut meat into bite-size pieces and return to the pot. Add liver, cut up into bite-size pieces. Cook 5 to 7 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. While hare is finishing, drop pappardelle into a pot of hot boiling salted water and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, dress with sauce, and serve with grated cheeses.
- The Badia di Coltibuono pairs with this dish perfectly. The moderate acidity of this Chianti Classico balances well with the lean character of the sauce. The wine works well with the hare in the sauce and the natural sweetness of the liver finish. The alcohol content abates the aggressive quality of the hare. Even the colors balance each other: the brilliant ruby of the wine serves as a counterpoint to the deep brown of the sauce.