• 2 hare forequarters
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2–3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1½ oz / 40 g bitter chocolate
• 1–2 sprigs marjoram or pinch of dried oregano
• 2 oz / 60 g seedless raisins
• 2 oz / 60 g pinenuts (optional)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 lb / 455 g fresh pappardelle

Strip the meat from the bones, and dice it. Fry the vegetables and garlic in the olive oil until wilted. Raise the heat, add the meat, and brown it briefly. Add the stock, the chocolate and the herbs. Simmer for about 40 minutes, uncovered, until the meat is tender and the sauce reduced. Stir in the raisins and pinenuts (if using), and cook for a few minutes to let the flavours mingle. Finally, add the balsamic vinegar. Stir the sauce into freshly cooked and drained pasta. It is the balsamic vinegar which leads me to describe the dish as being loosely based on the Tuscan classic. In Tuscany a red wine vinegar would be used; balsamic vinegar comes from over the Apennines in Emilia-Romagna. The deep, fruity complexity is a perfect counterpoint to the chocolate, however.