Venison and Herb Sugo with Pappardelle, Hazelnuts, Parmigiano and Black Truffle

Featuring: Cedarview Farm Ground Venison

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2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

Half a medium yellow onion, peeled 

2 cloves of garlic, peeled 

1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, divided

Leaves from 8 sprigs of fresh thyme

Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio) 

1 cup beef or chicken broth 

1/2 lb Cedarview Farm Ground Venison 

3 bay leaves

1 package (360g) fresh lasagna sheets

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided 

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1 Black truffle (optional) 

● Add celery, onion, garlic, parsley (reserving some leaves for garnish), thyme, rosemary and oregano to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into a roughly chopped paste. Set aside.

● Heat oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat, add reserved vegetable-herb paste and cook until moisture releases and evaporates. Stir in wine and stock and increase heat to high. Bring mixture to a simmer, add venison and, using a wooden spoon, break meat into a crumble, then stir in bay leaves, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until venison is tender, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

● Remove lid from sauce pot, bring venison mixture to a boil over medium heat and reduce to a thick sauce consistency. 

● Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

● Stack lasagna sheets (removing any parchment paper between sheets, if necessary) and cut into 1-inch wide strips. Pull pasta strips apart with your fingertips as you place them in pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta reserving pasta cooking water. 

● Add pasta to sauce along with a ladleful of reserved cooking water and cook over medium-high heat until pasta thickens and clings to sauce. Gently stir in half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

● Plate pasta in warmed bowls, garnish with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, hazelnuts, parsley and, if using, shaved black truffle and serve immediately.

Serves 3