Tagliatelle with venison ragù

• 540g fresh tagliatelle (or 420g dry tagliatelle)
• 600g venison, diced
• 450g peeled tomatoes, drained
• 50 ml olive oil
• 20g carrots, finely chopped
• 20g celery, finely chopped
• 20g onion, finely chopped
• 3g juniper berries
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 50 ml red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 200g grated pecorino cheese
• 250g wild mushrooms, sautéed
• Coffee dark chocolate, for garnish
• Sage leaves
• Generous pinch of pepper
• Salt, to taste

1. Place the venison in a sealable bag with the olive oil, juniper berries, bay leaves, rosemary and 1/3 of the red wine.
2. Leave the meat to marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a casserole pan. Sauté the carrots, onions and celery, stirring constantly, until softened.
4. Take the meat out of the bag, season it with salt and pepper, then sear it in the same pan on high heat until browned.
5. Add the remaining red wine and reduce by 2/3 then add the tomatoes.
6. Add water to cover the meat and simmer for around 3 hours with the lid slightly ajar. When the meat is cooked it should easily break down with a wooden spoon. If the sauce is too runny, continue to simmer until it thickens. Set the sauce aside.
7. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the tagliatelle (3-4 minutes if fresh).
8. Drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with the sauce. Combine over medium heat, adding the sautéed mushrooms.
9. Garnish with grated coffee chocolate and some crispy fried sage.