Bucatini with Wild Boar Sausage and Pecorino di Pienza
Bucatini al Cinghiale con Pecorino di Pienza
A Tuscan Pasta of Wild Boar, Pecorino and Rustic Elegance
Wild boar meets Tuscan elegance — and they dance on your plate.
This dish is a love letter to the hills of Tuscany, where cinghiale (wild boar) has long been a staple of traditional cooking. Rich, aromatic sausage is diced into small cubes and gently browned before being simmered with tomatoes, herbs and red wine.
Finished with crumbled Pecorino di Pienza, the sauce becomes creamy, savoury and deeply rustic. Paired with bucatini — a thick, hollow pasta that captures every drop of flavour — the result is a dish that is both hearty and refined.
🕒 Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Serves: 4
Why Wild Boar Works So Well in Tuscan Pasta
Wild boar has been part of Tuscan cuisine for centuries. Its flavour is deeper and more aromatic than traditional pork, giving sauces a rustic richness that pairs beautifully with simple ingredients.
In this recipe:
- Wild boar sausage provides bold flavour and natural richness
- Red wine adds depth and acidity
- Tomatoes bring brightness and balance
- Pecorino di Pienza melts into the sauce, adding salty creaminess
The result is a sauce that feels both rustic and elegant — exactly the spirit of Tuscan cooking.
Ingredients
From Our Kitchen to Yours
- 400 g Bucatini
- 200 g wild boar cinghiale sausage, casings removed and diced
- 100 g Pecorino di Pienza, crumbled
From Your Pantry
- 200 g vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, whole and peeled
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 100 ml dry red wine
- Fresh sage leaves
- Chilli flakes (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt for pasta water
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Equipment
Wide sauté pan
Large saucepan
Slotted spoon
Wooden spoon
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep Like a Maestro
Dice the wild boar sausage into small cubes, about 0.5 cm.
Finely chop the onion, dice the tomatoes and crumble the Pecorino so everything is ready before cooking begins.
Having ingredients prepared allows the sauce to come together quickly.
2. Sizzle the Cinghiale
Heat a wide pan over medium heat.
Add the diced wild boar sausage and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and aromatic.
Once cooked, remove the sausage using a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Sauté the Aromatics
In the same pan, add the chopped onion and cook for a few minutes until soft and lightly golden.
Add the chilli flakes, whole garlic cloves and sage leaves.
Stir briefly to release the aromas, then add the chopped tomatoes and increase the heat slightly to begin cooking them down.
4. Deglaze with Wine
Pour in the red wine and allow it to simmer for 3–4 minutes, letting the alcohol evaporate.
Return the browned wild boar sausage to the pan.
Let everything simmer together for another 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the flavourful bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Cook the Pasta
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil.
Add the bucatini and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
6. Marry the Pasta and Sauce
Drain the pasta and transfer it directly into the pan with the wild boar sauce.
Remove the garlic cloves.
Toss everything together, adding small splashes of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta evenly.
7. Say Cheese
Turn off the heat and add the crumbled Pecorino di Pienza.
Toss gently until the cheese melts into the sauce, creating a creamy, glossy coating.
Add more pasta water if needed to reach a smooth, silky consistency.
8. Serve with Style
Serve immediately in warm bowls.
Finish with:
- freshly cracked black pepper
- a few basil leaves
- extra Pecorino on the side
This is rustic Tuscan cooking at its finest.
Chef’s Tips
Dice the Sausage Evenly
Small cubes cook evenly and distribute flavour throughout the sauce.
Use Good Wine
Choose a dry red wine you would happily drink — the flavour will concentrate as it cooks.
Save the Pasta Water
The starch helps emulsify the cheese and sauce into a silky coating.
Don’t Overcook the Cheese
Add Pecorino off the heat so it melts smoothly rather than clumping.
Wine Pairing
This bold Tuscan dish pairs beautifully with red wines that match its rustic character:
- Chianti Classico
- Rosso di Montalcino
- Sangiovese
Their acidity and structure balance the richness of the wild boar and cheese.
Bring Italy to Your Table
With just a few authentic ingredients and a quick cooking process, this dish brings the flavours of Tuscany straight to your kitchen.
Wild boar, Pecorino, and perfectly cooked pasta — simple ingredients transformed into something unforgettable.
try our full Notti Toscane menu
Buon appetito.